A Peony's Snapdragon
by Phyteriae
Summary: Long ago, the head of an ancient family struck a deal with a fiery dragon. Now Yuen-Yee Baak, the ancestral daughter of the dragon branch, is about to attend Beacon Academy without fully understanding that bargain. As she attempts to cover her past and start anew, is she prepared for the snowstorm? Rated M for language, girls' love, and gore.
1. The Sassy Dragon

**Chapter 1: The Sassy Dragon**

I stare out of the window of the Bullhead as it approaches Beacon Academy. The tall castle-like building looks intimidating even from miles away, regardless of the green grass that surrounds it and the lamps that adorn the path to it. My hands unconsciously grip tighter on the yan yue dao that sits across my lap. This is the first time I have ever been so far from home without my family or guidance.

" _Don't forget about me, kid_ ," a deep voice resonates in my head. I shake my head in response. Even after two years, I am still not used to him.

"Hey Yuen-Yee," a proud voice calls out, interrupting my thoughts. "We're here." I look up to see Weiss Schnee standing in front of me, her right hand on her hip. I glance at her platinum blonde hair, tied – as always – in a neat side ponytail, the high collar and flowing sleeves of her bolero jacket, the soft curves of her waist...

" _Your pulse is rising again."_ I jump, self-conscious, and immediately stare at the floor in front of me. _You didn't have to point it out!_ I rub the thin scar that races along the left side of my hairline, in an attempt to rub his voice out. I pull my glaive closer to my body as I stand and look at my reflection in the window of the Bullhead. My white hair reaches the middle of my back, with a small stripe of red down on the left side of my face. From the waist up, I am wearing a traditional cheungsam, red with a white floral pattern. The skirt of the dress, though, flares out and falls a couple of inches above my knees. The black flats I wear suddenly feel heavy as the thought of being judged suddenly pierces my mind. I attempt to smooth out the ruffles of the skirt, realizing that I can see the nervousness in my own pale orange eyes.

" _Remember, breathe deeply and show your status as a member of the Baak family."_ As I carefully tie the glaive onto my back, I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then, I square my shoulders, lift my chin, and carefully step out of the Bullhead after Weiss.

The brightness of the sun makes me blink, and I stand in place for a couple of seconds as my eyes adjust. The grey path to the front of the school stretches out before me, and I look around to see other students getting off other, public, Bullheads. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a blonde boy bent over at the edge of the path, vomiting into the grass beside him.

" _How will he handle his job if he can't hold his meals?"_

"Just because he is sick doesn't mean that he won't be able to handle his job. Maybe he's a good fighter!" I reply defensively.

" _Yee. You are attracting unwanted attention again_ – _as always. If you don't want to stand out, stop speaking and think to me!"_ With a start, I look around to see other students staring at me. _Judging_ me. I immediately shrink, feeling a blush creep up my neck as my mind reaches into the depths of my memory and tugs at one in particular. My hand flies to my scar again.

" _It's fine, just go find Weiss before you make a complete fool of yourself."_

I mentally slap myself and turn to see Weiss striding towards the school already, with her cases of Dust. A black-haired, red-cloaked girl stumbles into her path, but before I could say anything, the girl collides into Weiss's luggage, knocking the cases of Dust out of the trolley and spilling the cases all over the pavement. As Weiss yells at the poor girl, I notice her shaking one of the red vials of dust.

" _That cap is loose… This should be funny."_ I start walking towards them right as the girl sneezes, causing the dust that was just shaken out to explode.

"Maybe I shouldn't go over there," I say hesitantly, slowing down to a stop. "I don't want to accidentally make the situation worse, for either the girl or Weiss."

" _Your indecisiveness is unbecoming. You should at least go check if Weiss is okay, since you seem to care so much."_

"What if the red girl doesn't like me? What if… What if she thinks I'm just another upper-class snob like those kids back when—"

" _Why deny what you are? You can never change what you were born into. You can only change a person's perspective. So go do just that."_

I clutch the sides of my dress and nod numbly, trying to gather the strength to walk up to them, as Weiss berates the girl more for not being careful. Suddenly, I notice a vial had rolled from the cases towards me. I head towards it just as a dark-haired girl with a black bow picks it up.

" _I sense a liar."_ I tug at the ends of the red bow tied around my neck, afraid to approach them for fear of judgement.

"What could she be lying about?" I ask tentatively, looking down at my hands.

" _It is not my lie to tell: if it becomes a problem I'll let you know."_

I sigh. "I wish you would just tell me a straight answer, shifu."

" _But then things would be too easy for you. Besides, a shifu's job is to teach... Think of this as an extra lesson."_ I roll my eyes in frustration.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Seefu Hong-Long is a seefu first." Shutting my mind to his irritated response about using the Mandarin pronunciation rather than the Cantonese, I look back at Weiss and see her stalking towards the school again in a huff. I run after her, just finally catching up as she reaches the doors to the auditorium. "Weiss!" I call out.

Weiss turns, a grumpy expression lingering on her face. "What?" she snaps. I stop, panting a little.

"Are you okay? I saw that girl cause an explosion…"

"I can't believe there are still idiots out there who don't understand dust safety!" I grimace and nod along as Weiss rants about how the girl should go back to whatever school she came from since she clearly wasn't ready for Beacon.

" _Why are you friends with this one? Her droning is endless."_

"Shut up," I hiss under my breath. "We grew up together – you know that. She's the closest person I have to a friend."

" _She gives me headaches and I don't even have a head anymore."_

"Your input is just as insufferable!"

"What?" Weiss's voice cuts through my thoughts.

"N-Not you! Um... Hong-Long is just being snarky again."

"Him again? Maybe you should take those earrings off; he can hear you through them, right?" She gestures to the key and lock studs that adorn my ears.

"Huh? Uh, yeah," I reply dismissively. "But he gets mad at me if I take them off."

"First he dyes a strip of your hair red to show possession, and now these earrings? You should really dump him," Weiss urges me.

"It's not like that," I laugh nervously, glancing at the sash around my waist. I tug at the ends of my bow again in discomfort.

"What is it like, then?" Weiss persists.

I falter at her unexpected ceaselessness. "Remember that scroll that hangs up on the wall of the foyer in our complex?"

"Do you mean that old Chinese one? I couldn't ever read it."

"Yeah, that old one. It was passed down from the head of the entire Baak family, all the way back when our name was still nouveau-riche. It basically says 'The dragon protects', so I guess you could say that my bodyguard is really, uh, picky about being aware of my surroundings."

"Dragon?"

"Yeah. You know how my family has four branches, right? Each branch has a different guardian spirit that is tied to one of the four elements, and protects the head of the branch. I guess since I kind of took the position as future head of the Fire branch from my brother, I need the dragon's protection now."

"Huh… That doesn't mean your suitor has to be so possessive," Weiss protests.

"H-He's not a suitor!" My hands fly to the ends of the bow again. "I wouldn't like that old man anyway. He's like a thousand years old!"

" _2422 years to be exact. If you are going to insult me, get it right."_ I wave my hand at his voice, trying to ignore him.

"What're you waving at?" Weiss turns to me in concern.

"UH! A-A mosquito!" My face flushes with embarrassment and I quickly move my hand back to my side. "H-Hey, look, the ceremony is about to start in ten minutes. I need to use the restroom, so I'll see you after!"

* * *

I dash off to the girls' room and lock myself in a stall. Sitting down, I cover my face with my hands. _I'm so embarrassing. 'A mosquito?' Really?!_

" _It's fine: I know you suck at lying."_

 _Thanks for the vote of confidence. What kind of teacher berates his student when she's already kicking herself?_

" _Me."_

I pull the glaive out of the sash and glare at it. _You're an asshole._

" _Thank you; I try."_ I roll my eyes in exasperation. " _It's hard for you to look angry when your face is as red as a tomato."_

 _That's because you're embarrassing and Weiss wouldn't understand if I tried to explain who you are!_

" _Are you sure of that? You have never actually tried."_

 _How would you take it if someone you grew up knowing suddenly said, "Hey, the weapon I carry around? Yeah, it's infused with the soul of a crabby, two thousand year old dragon who keeps talking in my head and won't shut up?"_

" _Fairly well_ – _we grew up around different people."_

I bang my hands on the door in vexation. "Would you _stop_ that?! I don't need your sass! I just want to be normal friends with Weiss and you're messing it up!"

" _Are you sure you want to be_ friends _with her?"_

"Why wouldn't I be?! Just shut up when I'm talking to her!"

" _Whatever you want,_ Necromancer."

My heart skips a beat with fear and I scowl at the glaive again. "That's a low blow, Mr. Smart-ass. I've half a mind to leave you here in this stall next to the toilet."

" _Go for it: just try to explain your weapon manifesting next to you in a literal blaze of glory."_

"Glory. You have an insufferable presence sometimes, you cantankerous cavalier."

I leave the stall and splash my face with water in an attempt to wash away my anger. I stare at my hands for a moment, then into my reflection's eyes. After a couple of deep, calming breaths, I begrudgingly return to the stall and strap the glaive back onto my back. I pointedly wipe my hands on the sash around my waist just to spite him and step back out into the auditorium, where Headmaster Ozpin has already begun his speech.

* * *

Yan yue dao ["reclining moon blade" in Mandarin] - a Chinese glaive

Cheungsam ["long shirt" in Cantonese] - the traditional Chinese dress

Shifu ["teacher" in Mandarin] - a teacher of martial arts, most commonly known in kung fu

Seefu ["teacher" in Cantonese] - same as shifu: Yuen-Yee uses it to irritate Hong-Long since he prefers the Mandarin pronunciation

Hong-Long ["red dragon" in Cantonese]

Yuen-Yee [Cantonese name] - not sure what it means but it's Phy's mom's name

Baak ["white" in Cantonese] - the last name of Yuen-Yee. Sort of like the Schnee family, they are rich, though old.

Nouveau-riche ["new rich" in French] - used to refer to those who recently came into money/power

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **TLDR: Hope you like our story! We (will try to) update every two Mondays. Also, there should be translations of the Chinese/foreign words we use at the end of each chapter (if there isn't, you are free to yell at Phy [and Umbra] in the comments for forgetting).**

 **Hello! Phy here, and welcome to the beginning of** ** _A Peony's Snapdragon_** **. Umbra [InfernalUmbra] and I are really excited about writing a story (this is the first time I've personally ever released a story) so we hope you enjoy it! We are writing this story under the assumption you have already seen RWBY, and we will try to keep it as accurate to the story as it develops further. And, just like the show itself, we will do our best to only tell you what you need to know at a given time, and try to keep the rest a secret until it needs to be revealed. As quoth Umbra, "We're shit at keeping secrets."**

 **For those who are wondering, Yee is a Cantonese speaker, while Hong-Long (in ANs we'll likely call him HL) is a Mandarin speaker. Each is a different language of China (no, Cantonese is not a dialect of Mandarin. It's spoken in small regions of mainland China as well as the island of Hong Kong.) For each chapter, I will include the English translations of the Cantonese words we use right before the authors' note. Hopefully it helps to understand! Fun fact about this chapter's Canto words: cheungsam, more commonly spelled as cheongsam, is also known as a qipao. It's a cute dress regardless of the name. =u=**

 **Also, we know the italics+quotes for HL's speech is a lil cringe-y. Not sure of a better way to denote his speech is different from Yee's thoughts without using weird typographical emphases, and italics+quotes was the least cringe.**

 **In terms of logistics, we plan to update every two weeks on Mondays (we both have 3 day weekends – hooray for university class scheduling, amirite HA! ha.. ha…)**

 **Hi, it's me Umbra. I just wanted to clarify that Phy is writing for Yuen-Yee and that I'm writing for Hong-Long. I enjoy writing with Phy because she is very accepting of me just butting in with my character and his bull. I hope you enjoy this story and we will try our hardest to keep it updated.**


	2. He Knows

**Chapter 2: He Knows**

 **Disclaimer: Neither Phy or I (Umbra) own anything other than HL and Yee.**

After dinner, we all return to the ballroom for the night, since rooms are assigned after initiation. Carefully aligning my futon next to Weiss's, I head to the restroom to take a shower. I sneak into the last stall, trying to find some privacy among the multitude of girls. After washing myself, I wrap my hair in my fluffy red towel and step out of the shower, wearing soft pink pyjamas. Feeling refreshed, I move to the sink to brush my teeth.

" _The Headmaster – he spoke the truth you know… Learning from a book can only teach you so much. Also, I doubt there is much that these fools could teach you that your great shifu hasn't already taught you."_

"Do you ever stop boasting?" I groan as I wipe my face with a washcloth. "All I hear from you day in and day out is just 'blah blah I'm great blah blah.' I _know_ you're an awesome fire dragon, but jeez. In all of the two years I've known you, the only tones you've used are apathetic and blatant gloating."

" _No, I don't. But try as you may, you cannot say I'm lying on this part. You know this more than anybody. No matter how prepared you think you are, there is always something out there to surprise you."_

"I hate it when you're right." I glance at my scar in the mirror. "But could you please just relax with the bragging until after I'm in bed and asleep?"

" _My 'bragging' is nothing more than me trying to give you an example to follow. You hope to never be noticed – you wish that you inherited your mother's semblance. Those are things that will never happen, and in all my years of experience, you continue to be the least threatening member of your family I have ever seen."_

"Why do you have to make it out to be a bad thing?" I grumble. "If I knew any better, I'd say you were actually complimenting me. And, anyway, I thought you couldn't really see since you don't have eyes."

" _I don't just see the natural world, I see the Aura that flows through it. All living things give off a unique signature, like your own. Your Aura is red like all your family members: it has innocence that is admirable and love that is fathomless. It also gives a raw expression of your attitude at any given moment. It's the same for all things that are natural to this world. I have seen you, and everyone that you have come across, as they are, with their souls 'naked.'"_

"N-Naked?" I exclaim in dismay. "I-I thought you – Oh my spirits, you've seen everyone naked. You've seen Weiss naked!" My face flushes at the thought of her privacy invaded by such a perverted old dragon.

" _You still have selective hearing."_

I bite my lower lip, trying desperately to remember what that means. "I swear, I do listen!"

" _Very well: what does selective hearing mean?"_

"Uh… I only hear, uh… some things?"

" _You are close. You only listen to portions of what I say, specifically when I grab your attention with words that are shocking… And that which you want to hear."_

"Wh-What are you even suggesting!? I would never imagine Wei…" I grab the ends of the bow again, tugging so hard that it nearly unravels.

" _I never actually said Weiss, you know."_

My hands fly up to cover my face in chagrin and humiliation. "I-I wasn't saying Weiss! I was, um, saying 'Wh-Why are you so mean to me?'"

" _You can lie to me all you want, but your soul is an open book."_

"Stop reading my soul! It's not a book. Ugh, I hate you!"

" _You know that is not true. I am doing what dragons do to their young all the time. I'm making you strong."_

"I'm not a dragon like you are, okay? Sometimes I feel like you're just messing with me."

" _I_ am _messing with you. I just said I see a person's soul. That's what I meant by naked."_

I throw up my hands in resignation. "You're the worst."

" _You know there are other people in here. Other girls… Maybe even one you know."_

I realize with a start that he might be right and cover my mouth. Fear spreads through me as I scan the room, but the bathroom is empty.

" _Just kidding."_

For a second, I am stunned into silence. Tears spring to my eyes as I realize what he had just said. With a sob, I run out of the bathroom carrying the glaive, slamming it inside a locker. As I bolt away from the locker, from his existence, I bitterly think to him: _Thank the spirits for your damn prison._

I scamper to my futon and crawl under the covers. In an attempt to stifle my weeping, I bury my face into my pillow – the pink satin stained by my tears – hugging my knees closer to my chest. After a couple minutes of clearly failing to silence my cries, I feel a gentle tap on my back. Sniffling, I look up to see Weiss standing next to my futon in the dark. Even through my tears, I notice the dainty sleeping mask pushed above her eyes, the baby blue nightgown that hugs her body, and her long, straight, white hair that gently hugs her back as she bends towards me.

"Hey… Is everything alright?"

Sniveling, I whisper, "Hong-Long is just bullying me again: as usual, I suppose."

"That cretin," she hisses. "How can I help you?"

I sit up and pat the side of the bed next to me, indicating for her to sit down. "I just wish that we could go back to when we were younger. When we didn't have responsibilities, or feel pressured to be strong and perfect like you are."

I peek up at her to see an expression of astonishment. "W-Well, I can tell you that I will always be your friend," she murmurs. "I'll be there for you when you need me." I sniffle again and nod. A moment of silence passes as I wipe my tears away.

"D-Do you think, um, I could have a hug?" I ask bashfully, fiddling with the bedsheet.

She seems to scramble for a response, and I realize my question must have caught her off guard. Before I could retract it, however, she spoke up. "I-I don't see a problem giving a friend a hug when she's hurting, so why not?" She reaches over and stiffly wraps her arms around my shoulders. Shyly, I squeeze her back.

"Thank you." Suddenly, I notice just how close she is to me, with her head resting on my shoulder, and my arms around her waist… With a start, I let go and attempt to lay back down. Weiss, unprepared for my sudden movement, does not let go fast enough and we fall backwards onto my futon. Weiss and I squeak in surprise when we realize her face is hovering extremely close to my chest and we scramble apart. I pull my pyjamas closer around my body and stare at the hems of my pyjama shirt as my face turns completely red.

Weiss clears her throat, her face beet red as well. A couple moments of uncomfortable silence pass as I search for something to mask my embarrassment. _What just happened? I can't believe that just – she just—_

Finally, she forces out the words, "I-I think we should get some sleep."

I force myself to focus on her words. "Yeah, you're right. We have initiation tomorrow. G-Goodnight, Weiss."

"Goodnight." She quickly slides back into her futon and pulls her sleeping mask back over her eyes. I pull the blankets back over myself, and as I drift into sleep, I feel my bow untie itself. I sigh, aware that Hong-Long wants to speak to me in my dreams again. As I feel myself drift into unconsciousness, I direct my thoughts at Hong-Long, saying: _Don't you dare say a word about what just happened_.

* * *

 _I stand in the middle of a field of pink peonies, in a watermelon green sundress and white heels. My white hair hangs in a loose French braid, the red stripe curving through it. The wind blows gently, lifting the skirt of my dress slightly and causing my hair to flutter around me. Just as I bend down to pick a peony – my favorite flower – I recall the ends of Hong-Long's bow reaching to my temple and look up. As my eyes reach the clouds, I see him: an imposing red eastern dragon, his head towering at least twenty feet above my own and the rest of his gargantuan body off in the distance, spanning between the clouds and vanishing off into the horizon. His eyes, a vibrant flame of red and deep orange, are fixed on me. I can never decipher his emotions through them, but again I am reminded of why my family's warriors are afraid of his scrutiny. I sit down among the flowers calmly and patiently, waiting for him to say something to me. After a couple moments of silence, his baritone voice booms throughout my dreamscape._

"You did well, kid."

 _I blink in surprise at the kind words. Having expected more scolding, I grin at the awkwardness of his praise. I look back up at him, trying to see his expression, but his visage has already begun to slowly fade as he allows me to enter my dreams. Just before he fully disappears, I hear him quietly mutter:_

"Better than I had, anyway."

* * *

"Hey, get up. Initiation's in an hour." Weiss shakes me awake. I yawn and rub my eyes, wishing that I could sleep in more. After getting dressed and washing up, I begrudgingly remove Hong-Long from the locker and tie him around my waist once again.

" _Good morning kid."_

"Oh, no snarky comments making fun of me this morning?" I respond wryly, rubbing my forehead and scar.

" _Nah, like I said last night: you did well."_

"It's weirder that you don't have anything sassy to say to me. You're making me uneasy."

" _Don't get used to this."_

"I almost wonder if you're not feeling well."

" _Aura constructs cannot get sick."_ I chuckle. As I close the door to the locker, I notice Weiss excitedly talking to Pyrrha Nikos, a distant member of the Luuk family, the family of earth semblances.

" _Oh good, it's Pyrrha. I actually don't mind that one."_

"It's cool that one of my cousins is famous, but I don't really know her all that well because of it."

" _Now is a good time to meet her, no?"_

I take a moment to gather courage, and walk towards them. Just then, that blonde boy – who had been vomiting on the first day – pushes me aside and swoops into their conversation, introducing himself as Jaune Arc. I watch crossly as he promptly hits on Weiss.

" _I think you should stab him. It sounds like a_ really _good_ _idea."_

"I don't really like him either," irritation seeps through my voice. "But seeing Weiss completely shut him down is kind of gratifying."

" _I suppose his blood wouldn't burn well at all, would it?"_

"Gross. Don't tell me about those kinds of things."

" _Go talk to your cousin and your 'friend.' Who knows, maybe the blonde one will be entertaining, rather than annoying.'_

I step forward again, hesitantly approaching them. Just as I am about to reach them, Pyrrha chucks her spear at Jaune, pinning him to a locker by the hood of his hoodie. As she and Weiss walk past him, she apologizes, pulling the spear out and continuing on.

" _I knew something funny would happen. He deserved that one though."_

I carefully stalk past Jaune as he tries to recover, trying hard not to kick him in the shin. "You should know better than to try to hit on _the_ Weiss Schnee," I spit out before I can think properly. Realizing what I have just done, I cover my mouth with my hands and hurry off after Weiss.

" _Good, you are thinking like a dragon now: as you should."_

"That was so rude of me! I can't believe I even – oh my spirits, he'll definitely think I'm an upper class snob now! Why did I even say that?"

" _Firstly, he did shove you out of the way, and second, I don't think he saw you. He earned your ire. At least you are starting to protect your treasures."_

"Stop making it weird! Weiss is a friend, and she's way too good for vomit-boy. She clearly needs someone of at least the Baak family caliber."

" _Whatever you say,_ Lady Baak _."_

"Don't call me that! You know I hate it!" I hiss as I near the other students by the cliffside.

" _Why do you hate your title?"_

"You know exactly why." My mind subconsciously reaches back once again, and my hands start to tremble in fear.

" _Now is not the time to get lost in memory, especially with that one. Grimm are close to us, I can feel their void."_

I pull myself out of my memories and pinch my thigh. "Right. We're going in to fight." I close my eyes for a moment. _Be more aware of your surroundings,_ I remind myself _._ When I reopen them, I take in the tall hill covered in grass that I stand in: the sixteen launch pads ahead of me, idly sitting side-by-side. Headmaster Ozpin, standing on the other side of those launch pads, watches us expectantly through shaded glass spectacles that seem to barely fit his face, wearing his typical three pieced suit and green ascot. Ms. Goodwitch, the combat instructor and vice headmistress, stands beside him with a Scroll. Remembering his constant lectures on thinking rather than speaking to him, I ask Hong Long, _Does he have a walking impairment or something? He always carries that cane, but it never looks like he struggles._

" _It is more than likely his weapon. His grip on it is firm but relaxed, suggesting familiarity with it."_

Peering over the edge, I marvel at the altitude of the cliff. _There's a huge forest down there. Do you think that's where the initiation is going to be held?_

" _I assume so: the void is almost palpable even from here. Be ready for a large amount of Grimm."_

I nod and steady my stance on the launch pad at my feet. Squinting down the line of students to my left, I notice that Weiss is one of the first few students, with Pyrrha following after her. I hear Jaune questioning Headmaster Ozpin about what exactly we are doing.

" _I was right… He is an idiot."_

I giggle as he is launched just as he asks what a landing strategy is. _What a doofus!_ As the student between myself and Jaune launches, I brace myself for the burst of momentum... yet nothing happens. I look around me, confused as to why the pad has not activated.

"Ms. Baak, Mr. Huo: we need to have a conversation." Ozpin looks at me, his gaze seeming to stare straight into the depths of my soul.

I immediately stand straight up on the pad and freeze, my eyes wide with apprehension. "How did the Headmaster know your name?" I whisper to Hong-Long. "I didn't even know your last name was 'fire'."

" _This one knows things he shouldn't. It is very disturbing that he knows my last name."_

I snicker. "You sound bothered, and I kind of like that."

" _This is more serious than you realize. If he knows my name, what does he know about_ you _?"_

I gulp and return my gaze to Ozpin, who is studying me through his brown spectacles. I feel all of the hair on my body stand at the thought of him knowing more about me. As my soul fills with dread for what he could possibly say to me, I clench my hands at my sides and wait for him to speak.

* * *

 **AN:**

 **Phy: I got two great stories to tell y'all. The first is that I was reading our summary aloud for Umbra to hear and I read it so fast that he thought I had said "faerie dragon", soooooooooooooooooo now HL is (confirmed) a faerie dragon who spits fire. YAY.**

 **Also, while we were brainstorming ideas for the chapter title, one of our betas came up with "Baak and Foh" (this was before we remembered that HL is supposed to be Mandarin, not Cantonese.) What was funny is that the name "Baak and Foh" kinda sounds like the English words "Back and Forth" (I know, we have some ingenious friends.) And if it's just me that found it funny, then that's okay ._. [Umbra: it is]**

 **Umbra: In this chapter we got a little into the relationship between Weiss and Yee. I just want to let you guys and gals [Phy: and in the words of the amazing Thomas Sanders, "and non-binary pals"] know that it will never go into smutty territory. Also feel free to leave a review.**


	3. Silence of the Boars

**Chapter 3: Silence of the Boars**

 **Disclaimer: Neither Phy or I (Umbra) own anything other than HL and Yee.**

"So, is there a reason why Ozpin didn't put you on a team?" Weiss inquires. The two of us find a table near the center of the room and set down our trays across from each other. As I grab a fork and knife, I eagerly look down at my sirloin steak and side salad.

"He told me there's an odd number of students, so he made me a 'flexible asset' that is allowed to assist any team if they need it." I quickly take a bite, savouring the flavour.

"I still wish I had gotten you on my team," she says after a mouthful of her salad.

I nearly choke and take a moment to cough. "Well, it would have been impossible anyway," I stammer. _She wanted_ me _on her team?_

"Why would it be impossible?"

"Ozpin wanted to talk to me about the option of being a 'pawn' so I didn't launch like the rest of you. Since I wasn't in the forest, the rule that the first person you see is your partner for the rest of school didn't apply to me." I bite my lower lip and poke the remaining half of the steak with my fork. "It… it's okay though, I think I'll be better on my own. Easier than being put with people who might hate me."

"Why would people hate you?" she asks, her fork raised in the air. "You are a gentle being."

I blush and shove a large chunk of steak into my mouth in an attempt to stall for time. _Shifu, help! I don't know what to say!_

" _This is your fight little dragon, so you had better do well… Good luck."_ I feel his presence fade from my mind as he stretches out his Aura to fill the room. After a couple of moments of awkward silence, I finally finish the mouthful.

"I mean, there are lots of people who are dissatisfied with the upper class," I reply carefully. "I think the amount of power that comes with the wealth is sort of, uh, intimidating to the lower classes. Fear leads to hate, you know?" Unconsciously, I set down the knife in my left hand and trace my scar.

"What is that, under your bangs?" Weiss casts a curious glance at my hairline. "I don't remember that scar at all."

"O-Oh, this?" I hesitantly lift my bangs to show her the jagged streak of raised tissue.

"How did you get it? There are so many ridges."

"When I was twelve, someone threw a rock at me outside of the manor." I smile humorlessly, in thought. When I finally look back up at her, I see confusion and concern. "Um… Basically, you know how I really didn't like being cooped up at home learning our family history and traditions?"

Weiss nods silently.

"So, one day, I got sick of it and snuck out. At that point, I hadn't realized that my clothes were so significantly different from the other kids'. Looking back, my garments were so clearly of an upper class family, which, as you know, there weren't many of in that part of Mistral, that they knew who I was at once. People noticed me and started pointing, whispering, and then a slight altercation broke out."

"What kind of 'slight altercation' ends with a scar that bad?" questions Weiss.

"It didn't start out that badly... The people who hate my family in that village are actually a rather small sect and are bitter about the past. It just so happened that one of them was there. I wasn't expecting a rock thrown at me, so I didn't dodge out of the way in time. Since this was before I received my artifact, my Aura wasn't unlocked yet. It cut pretty deep into my forehead."

"There are people who hate your family that badly? Why?"

"There are these really stupid rumours about my family being necromancers and some other stupid stuff." I shrug and shove my hands into my blazer pockets.

"Necromancers?"

"Um, yeah… Those people who, I don't know, manipulate dead bodies? Kind of like, forcing dead bodies to move around to 'do their bidding' or some crap."

"Oh. Does your family actually do that?" A small flash of disgust crosses her face, which she attempts to hide by wiping her mouth.

"No!" My face flushes with frustration. "We're not necromancers! We don't mess with the dead!"

Weiss looks at me in surprise, clearly taken aback by my outburst. "I didn't mean.."

" _Yee! Calm down. If you want to discuss this and still keep your secret, move it somewhere that is more private."_ Hong-Long hisses.

Realizing that I had shot out of my seat and started shouting, I quickly put the near-finished steak back onto the tray. "I… I'm sorry Weiss. I need to go be alone for a while. I'll see you tomorrow in class." Without waiting to hear a response, I grab the tray and dispose of the leftovers before swiftly returning to my new room. I sit down on the edge of the bed in the center of the room and sigh.

" _Weiss… She was not calling you a necromancer."_ Hong-Long's voice is gentle for once.

"I know. She didn't mean to hurt me. But it still does."

" _If it makes you feel any better, I have nothing but respect for your ancestor. He was a wise man and a brilliant strategist."_

"That doesn't mean he didn't work with souls and dead people. I mean, you're here cuz he messed with your soul."

" _I never told you this, but I chose this path. He gave me the specifics of what would happen: I accepted this burden and wouldn't change anything about it."_

I sigh. "That still doesn't change that fact though. He still 'played god' and made you stay on Remnant."

" _I would have found a way to stay. After all, rage finds its way into the hearts of all your ilk."_

"But you're not rage itself. It's a part of you, but it isn't you." I flop onto the bed facedown. "Whatever! I just want to sleep and pretend nothing ever happened."

" _As you wish, little Lady. Remind me to tell you the story of my greatest wielder: Bloody Rage."_

I snicker. "'Bloody Rage?' What kind of uncreative name is that?"

" _When he was let loose upon the field of war, horrific things followed in his wake. He committed crimes that made the Grimm look like paragons of virtue."_

"Why give him such a lame name then? I mean, the poor guy is going down in history with the name 'Bloody Rage'? Almost reminds me of some wannabe goth metal band." I can't help but grin. I can feel his dissatisfaction, but he chooses not to respond.

" _Maybe on the 'morrow, little one. For now, you should rest."_

"Yeah, yeah." I roll off the bed and head to the bathroom to wash up.

* * *

After breakfast, I check my schedule and notice I have twenty minutes to get to "Grimm Studies" with Peter Port.

"Isn't Professor Port that guy who hunts Grimm for sport?" I ask as I put my notebook and pencil case into my small backpack.

" _Why are you asking me? My last wielder was over 100 years ago,"_ came Shifu's bored tone. " _Besides, I don't see the point in Grimm Studies: all you need to know is that if you stab any of them enough, they will die."_

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, yeah. 'They're gonna live until they die' or whatever. The stupidest saying ever. I mean come on, either someone's living or they're dead. They're completely separate states of being."

" _I guess it comes down to your definition of dead."_

"I mean, come on. You're dead – you've been dead for thousands of years."

" _I know that. Please just honor the fact that I still have mild interest in your philosophical and psychological standing. I am honestly curious as to what your definition of dead is."_

"Huh?" I rub my forehead in confusion. "Dead is dead. Like, if your physical body stops breathing and stuff, you're dead. Just because your Aura is entwined in the glaive doesn't make you still living."

" _Interesting… What is your definition of alive? This is a question that I have asked all of my 'students' at one point, by the way, so don't go feeling special."_

My gaze wanders the wall in front of me to the clock hanging above my door. "Well, being alive means that you have the ability to affect those around you – Wait, this is no time to have deep philosophical conversations! Classes start in ten minutes!" I dash to my closet to change.

When I finally reached class I started scouting out a good seat so that I would be left alone. I settle at the edge of the lecture hall table in the middle aisle and two away from the front.

When I finally settle down I begin to take out my supplies for class and begin to go over the course guide to see if I have everything I need.

" _Clear the door,"_ Hong-Long suddenly said in my mind.

"Wha-," was all I could manage to get out before the door behind me suddenly opened with a ferocity that belies its unassuming nature. As I turn around I catch a glimpse of Weiss and her team flying to the table in front of me.

" _Don't get too excited to see her,"_ came a mocking tone. " _You still have your studies to perform before you can relax."_

"I know, I know," I grumble, rolling my eyes. "I get that I'm not here to socialize but to learn."

He growls. " _Wrong again. You are here to kill_ Grimm _and_ criminals _."_

"No, that's why _you're_ here," I hiss. Just then, Professor Port speaks up.

"Monsters, Demons, prowlers of the night, yes the creatures of Grimm have many names. Merely call them prey. Huh-ha. Haha... "

" _He is an idiot,"_ Shifu groans. " _Spirits above… We are going back to Mistral and I'm teaching you more."_

I simply ignore him and keep jotting down notes. Yet, after about another seven minutes, I hear him pipe up again.

" _His stories are more… graphic than he lets on,"_ His voice, this time, has a more somber tone.

 _What do you mean by that?_ I think in response.

" _His soul is showing me the true events… They are very gory."_

I start to doodle a Grimm crawling across the margin of my paper. _Gory? Gory in what way?_

" _Let me put it this way: the father in this story got to see what the inside of what a King Taiju looks like. He, unfortunately, lacked the weaponry and skill to escape in time."_

I drop my pencil. _Do you actually see his memories?_

" _It is more like I see the impressions that they have left on him. Like how you can see physical scars on humans and faunus."_

I pick my pencil back up and twirl it between my fingers, staring at Port. _This class got a little more interesting, then. I wonder, can I train to see those "scars"?_

" _Get back to me when you have been dead for a few hundred years and we will see about that."_

I mutter curses at old dragons who have way too much sass and attempt to resume my note-taking. From the corner of my eyes, I notice one of the loops of the bow of Weiss's black-haired, and amber-eyed teammate, Blake, twitch. I look around, but the circulation of air in the room is not moving fast enough to move her bow. She stiffens as she realizes something about her bag to her right. Curious, I lean to my left and peer over her shoulder.

 _That must be the girl we saw on the first day, who was reading that book while Ruby and Weiss were arguing_ — _Oh, she's got a mini library in there!_ My eyes light up, subconsciously grateful for a distraction. _Look, Shifu! She has_ The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde _!_

" _You should talk to her after class sometime. You know you need more allies."_

 _Yeah, yeah._ I try to roll my eyes discreetly, wishing that he would stop going on about allies.

" _Your Aura doesn't allow you to hide your thoughts from me, you know."_

 _Shut up. Stop poking holes in my attempt at sassing you._

" _Weiss seems like she is about to explode for some reason."_ The abrupt change in conversation makes me look up.

"The moral of this story? A true huntsman must be honorable. A true huntsman must be dependable. A true huntsman must be strategic, well-educated, and wise. So who among you think you are the embodiment of these traits?" Port asks, in his usual grandiose way.

Weiss launches her hand into the air and shouts, "I do!"

"Well then, let's find out. Step forward and face your opponent!"

" _Where did that Grimm come from?"_ I turn my head and notice the cage by the side of the room, with a Boarbatusk inside. I glance at the ceiling, but no trapdoor is visible.

 _No clue. Port's magical, it seems._

" _You live in a society where the elite warriors have a shield made from their souls. Everyone is 'magical': hell, you even talk to the ghost of a dragon."_

 _Shuddap; Weiss is about to fight!_

Weiss levels her rapier in the direction of the cage. The blonde girl who was sitting next to her shouts, "Gooo, Weiss!" while the black-haired girl says, "Fight well." Ruby, the leader of the group, calls out, "Yeah! Represent team RWBY!"

"Ruby, I'm trying to focus!" Weiss snaps.

"Oh… Sorry," Ruby responds despondently.

" _Her lack of respect for her leader is disturbing, even if she is more capable of leading."_ Hong-Long muses.

"Alright. Let the match begin." Port calmly states, slamming the axe blade of his blunder-axe on the cage's lock.

As soon as the lock and door fall, the Grimm charges at Weiss. As it gets close, Weiss swings, her blade clanging into the armour of its side. She rolls back as the Grimm comes to a stop after passing her. It wheels around towards her and begins a second charge towards her. In the back of my mind, I hear Ruby and Port saying something, but I ignore them, focusing on Weiss. She launches herself forward to meet the beast head on with Myternaster. During the exchange, her rapier becomes locked in the boar's tusks. It starts jerking back in an attempt to free itself, which wrenches the blade out of her grasp, flinging it across the room.

Seeing an opportunity, the Boarbatusk makes a mad dash for Weiss. She barely manages to roll out of the way in time, and sprints to reach her weapon. Once she reclaims her rapier, the Grimm makes one last ditch effort to kill its prey by curling up into a ball and rocketing towards Weiss. Prepared this time, Weiss uses her Semblance to create a glyph, effectively halting the beast and knocking it over. The battle finishes with Weiss hurling herself forward using a secondary glyph behind her and burying her weapon to the hilt in the Borbatusk's soft underbelly.

I sigh with relief, my heart pounding.

" _Good, she finally silenced that pig's squealing. Took her long enough."_ Hong-Long's snarky voice booms in my mind.

 _I'm just glad she's okay and got her rapier back. It was looking a little too close for comfort._

" _It was her fault for letting her anger override her combat ability."_

 _Everything is a fault, to you. Meanwhile, it's okay for you to fight angry._

" _It is never okay to let your anger cloud your fighting. Letting anger strengthen your blade is fine. The problem arises when you allow it to force your hand in combat; That is how you get an ally killed. A person who fights with their anger is different than one who fights alongside it."_

 _Whatever helps you sleep at night, Mr. Holier-Than-Thou._

" _Take the lesson as you will; you will have to learn it eventually. Plus, a lack of a body negates the need for sleep. Thank you, though, for acknowledging my status for once."_

I roll my eyes as Port calls out, "Class dismissed!" Shoving my notebook and pencil in my bag, I hurry after Blake, who had already started out the door.

"Hey, Blake?" I shyly call out after her.

Blake stops in her tracks and turns towards me. "Huh? Oh, aren't you that girl who Ozpin set as a 'pawn?'"

"Yeah." I smile awkwardly, still uncomfortable with the title. "I, um, saw that you have a lot of books in your bag!"

"Uh… Yeah. Sorry, but why are you talking to me? Every time I have seen you it seems like you hang around the Ice Queen." Blake studies me with a critical gaze.

"Ice Queen…? I just thought you loved books like I do and wanted to talk, that's all." I take a step back, subconsciously intimidated.

"Oh." Her gaze softens. "Which book did you want to talk about in particular?"

A grin spreads across my face before I know it. "I saw you had _The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde_! I loved that book growing up."

"It was a very good read," She responds with a half smile. "I did enjoy the mystery of figuring out the connection between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."

We start walking towards our next class. "That was the coolest thing about it! It's such a classic horror book. Did you know it was called a 'shilling shocker' pre-Great War?"

"I didn't know that; I love how this book highlights the duality of a person's image and what they are capable of when others aren't looking."

"I think it's fascinating that, while Dr. Jekyll makes it sound as if he dreads Mr. Hyde, he actually loves being a degenerate to the point that he lets Mr. Hyde take over."

"I feel like Mr. Hyde represents a part of Dr. Jekyll that would fully manifest if they lived in a world without consequence."

"Exactly!" The conversation lulls a moment as I search for something to say. "Blake? Why do you call Weiss the Ice Queen?"

"To be honest, she isn't the nicest person at the best of times."

"I mean, she has to be confident, or else she wouldn't feel like she was good enough to be the successor of the Schnee family."

"It doesn't make how she treated Ruby today any better."

"But you don't seem to particularly care for Ruby either."

"That may be true, but at least I am giving her a chance to prove herself as a capable leader."

"Well, it takes Weiss a while to warm up to people. She generally tries to look overconfident, but she's a very kind and generous friend." I smile softly as I look down at my shoes. Suddenly, I remember who I am talking to, and panic.

 _Maybe I shouldn't have said that. She might figure out how I feel about_ —

"I'll keep that in mind." Blake stops walking, and I realize we have reached the classroom and should end our conversation. "Well, I would love to talk more about books with you."

"Y-yeah! I'd like that a lot. See you another time," I attempt to smile and hurry to the back of the classroom, flustered.

* * *

 **Umbra: First off, we would like to apologize for not uploading a chapter on time. There was a rather quite unfortunate series of events, namely university being a pain and assignments being a pressing issue.**

 **Phy: THE SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS ^ (which, if y'all haven't read or seen the new Netflix show of, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND). Anyway, as Umbra says, uni takes up a lot of our time, and of course since I decided to be a project leader at my internship, I ended up taking on a lot more work than I'd anticipated. We're so sorry for not uploading sooner! As an apology, I've attached what Yuen-Yee looks like as the temporary cover photo. (I am trying to figure out how to show a higher quality/bigger version than the cover photo allows. And** **Hong-Long is on the way, don't worry!)**

 **Umbra: There will be more League of Legends references in the future, 'cause we nerds and it's an awesome game. Also I am going to try to add in a metric crap load of Nier references.**

 **Phy: You can tell he's already obsessed kek. But, yea, we're gamers, so we will probably make references.**

 **In terms of the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde thing: it was a struggle because neither of us have read it (I hopefully will be fixing that sometime soon!). Also, the factoid about the shilling shocker is true! Certain novels (characterized by sensational crime or violence) were sold at a shilling each, and were very popular in late Victorian England. We agonized over whether we should change the name (since currency is in lien) but the name is so amazing** – **I mean, it rolls off the tongue so easily!**

 **We made this chapter longer as an apology for taking so long to write. I know it doesn't make up for it, but hopefully it's a good consolation prize. We'll try to be better about keeping our schedule, since we understand how difficult it is for readers.**

 **Umbra: Silence of the Boars is a reference to one of my favorite movies** _ **Silence of the Lambs**_ **. If you have a strong stomach and are into visceral horror and psychological disturbances like me, you might enjoy it. If you aren't like that, I would suggest you avoid the movie like the plague and live on in blissful ignorance. (Phy: Like me! Avoiding like the plague. XD)**

 **Our alternate titles for this chapter: A Queen and her Pawn, A Portly Lecture, What's Dead is Dead, and Too Early for Philosophy.**


	4. A Puff of Air

**Chapter 4: A Puff of Air**

Saturday morning rolls by as I attempt to proactively finish my homework early; but, as usual, everything becomes distracting when I'm bored. While memorizing the anatomy of Grimm, I fold an origami rose: the main flower white, with red leaves. I doodle a dragon in the margins through writing a journal entry for "Botanical and Aural Medical Force". When I start to read the same paragraph for the fourth time in the "History of Remnant" textbook, Hong-Long pipes up wryly.

" _Don't you have something more important to do, rather than bury your nose in that dusty old tome?"_

"It's homework," I sigh heavily. "It's supposed to be a waste of time."

 _"I understand that learning how to stab through a Taiju to hit its brain and how to make a field poultice are important. Those have actual uses during and post-combat. But history is only useful to a person who locks themselves in a tower to read old stories and consider when their lives will begin."_

"Well, she also plays guitar, and knits, and cooks, and paints…" I can feel the heat of Hong-Long's glare on the back of my neck and try not to grin.

 _"You are insufferable."_

I can't help but laugh then, knowing just how miffed he is.

 _"What I was trying to say was that you need to re-create the seals on my 'prison.'"_

I jump to my feet. "Shoot! I forgot about that!" Thankful for a productive distraction, I grab my seal repair kit and Hong-Long and make my way briskly to Beacon's Forge.

The Forge is an absolutely massive room designed for creating, fixing, or upgrading weapons. On the wall opposite the entrance sit three enormous smelteries, each paired with an anvil. Though old, they are always primed for the shaping of replacement parts. The vast majority of the room contains rows of workbenches that hold clamps that keep a weapon in place and various built-in drawers for students to place their tools and oils. Students of Beacon are welcome to use the Forge as long as there is a professor in the Forge to supervise, and many of the students that are more interested in weaponry tend to spend more of their time there.

Upon arrival, I search for the least populated corner to set up, and settle on the back right. Carefully placing the glaive on the workbench, I open the kit and take out the ink powder and brush. I confirm that I have enough oil, which keeps the wood of the glaive from drying, as well as my whetstone, for sharpening the blade. I place the whetstone by the blade and start to sharpen, concentrating on smoothing all the nicks and dents out of the edge.

"Hey, Yuen-Yee! Whatcha doooin'?"

"Oh!" I nearly drop Hong-Long – to which he hisses at me – and whirl around to face Ruby Rose. "Hi Ruby." Flustered, I gesture to the ink powder and whetstone. "Just doing some, uh, maintenance on my glaive."

"What kind of maintenance needs a paint brush?"

"It… It's a calligraphy brush," I respond carefully, trying not to show irritation at her ignorance. "See the seals on the staff? I need to re-write them."

"Oh. How come?" She looks at me expectantly.

"If I don't, they'll fade. This glaive is thousands of years old, and every one of my ancestors who wielded it spent at least an hour on Saturdays to keep it looking like it did when it was first forged."

"Ooh! Heritage. I was wondering why someone had a weapon that looked as different as yours."

"How is my glaive different?" I grab the oil and start applying it.

"It doesn't have the flair that most other weapons do nowadays." Before I realize, a flash of indignance crosses my face, and Ruby realizes what she'd said. "N-not to say it isn't cool. I really like seeing people using the antiques."

 _Take it as a compliment, Yuen-Yee. Take it as a compliment._ I smile as Ruby continues to blabber on about how amazing antiques are.

" _I can split mountains in twain, by the way. How is that for 'flair?'"_ Hong-Long interjects.

 _Mark Twain? Huh?_

" _You should pick up a dictionary at some point."_

 _I'm sorry: not everyone can speak old fart._ With a start, I realize that Ruby has stopped speaking and is looking at me, once again, expectantly.

"Sorry, what?" Done with oiling, I deftly mix the ink and dip my calligraphy brush.

"Why does your family keep it so well maintained?"

 _Were my previous answers not good enough!?_ "It's tradition," I respond lamely, meticulously reapplying the strokes of ink. "To be considered a real member of the Baak branch, we need to maintain our weapons."

"Wow," she says in awe, her eyes lighting up. "Your family sounds pretty cool to me."

Surprised, I feel myself warming up to her. "D-does it? It's tough because I wasn't supposed to have this glaive. I was raised to be the 'damsel in distress' type. I was given so much training in our family history and how to cook and whatnot, so it was harder for me to prove that I was a real Baak fighter."

"Huh. What do you mean that you weren't supposed to have your weapon?" she asks. "Also, if you wanted to fight, why didn't they just train you?"

I set down the calligraphy brush and start cleaning up the workbench. "My elder brother was supposed to inherit it, but, um, a twist of fate happened and the ceremony went in a completely different way from what my parents were planning." I laugh nervously. "My brother still sort of hates me for that since I kind of accidentally stole his purpose in life…"

"Why couldn't he do something else? Like write a book or something."

"Well, from the day he turned five, my father gave him grueling training every day on how to wield a glaive, maintain it, et cetera. So he was told, every day, that he needs to become an amazing person in order to be worthy of wielding such a weapon, so he didn't spend much of his free time doing anything else but practicing. It's kind of hard for him to adjust to the idea that he can't be someone he's been working his entire life to be, you know?" I sigh. "I think, in all honesty, he could be a great blacksmith, though. Before the ceremony, we were the best of friends, and he would always draw me these awesome modern weapons that he'd dream up."

I look up after packing up my kit and see Blake coming from the left side of the hallway outside the Forge.

"I think that you two should find some time to talk things out. It isn't right for siblings to get separated over something, even if it is that big."

"Yeah, well. He's less angry at me now, and I think he understands that I didn't mean to, but still." A moment of solemn silence passes.

"Can I hold it?"

"Huh? Uh…" Panicking, I glance at the glaive, desperately trying to think of an excuse. "The ink might not be dry yet."

Ruby peers at the glaive. "I think it is!"

"O-oh. W...well, I guess you can, but be careful." _I'm sorry Shifu! I don't know what to say!_ I think, my heart pounding as Ruby reaches for the glaive.

" _It's fine. Just brace yourself: what I'm about to do might be a bit uncomfortable."_ Hong-Long hisses in a rush.

As Ruby's hand closes around the glaive's staff, a dense burst of air ripples through the Forge as Hong-Long pushes his aura as far away from the glaive as possible.

Blake, who had been reading a book, whips her head up as Hong-Long's aura whooshes by her. Her eyes search the Forge and our eyes meet.

"Why do I feel angry?" Ruby glares at me suspiciously.

Before Hong-Long can affect her mood more, I snatch the glaive back. "S-sorry. It, uh… It's a weird glaive and I forgot that it has an effect on people."

Ruby shakes her head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to glare at you."

"No, no. Like I said, I forgot I'm immune to this kind of thing. I should have been more careful."

"Well… That was weird," she says pensively.

I laugh awkwardly and look back to the open doors. Seeing that Blake had left, I turn back to Ruby. "Well, I've got to go and finish my homework. Again, sorry about my glaive…"

"It's okay. Thank you for letting me see you work on your weapon."

"Yeah. I'll see you in class on Monday!" I quickly stride back to my room and collapse on the bed, exhausted. After a couple of minutes of just laying there, I finally mumble, "You there, Shifu?"

" _That was very close to an extremely bad situation."_

"Yeah… I'm so glad that she didn't get burned and only got the angry symptom…" I sigh heavily. "Should I not have let her?"

" _It would have been more strange to not let her. It might have raised more questions as to why you wouldn't allow another person to touch your weapon."_

"You're right, but… I don't know. Maybe it'd just look like I was overprotective of my weapon or something… UGH. Whatever." I roll over, face down, and scoot under the blanket. "I'm taking a nap before dinner."

" _Have a pleasant dream, little necromancer."_

I roll my eyes and plop my face onto my pillow, falling asleep almost instantly.

* * *

 **TL;DR: We've got a tumblr, AND a Guild Wars 2 guild!**

 **Tumblr: apeonyssnapdragon**

 **GW2 guild: Sassy Snapdragons**

 **Phy: There were a couple of references this chapter:** _ **Tangled**_ **,** _ **Phineas and Ferb**_ **, and a famous American author… I was in a weird mood when we were writing this chapter, so that happened. According to Umbra, it was hilarious.**

 **Umbra: The references in this chapter are very indicative of the direction that all references are going to take. They will take all directions.**

 **Phy: There wasn't much for this chapter (Umbra and I have been a bit busy still) but we decided to split up the chapter so that we wouldn't rush our writing process just to get it out on time. I feel like quality is more important, rather than publishing a chapter that is half-hearted.**

 **Follow-up on last chapter's picture issue: Umbra has created a tumblr for** _ **A Peony's Snapdragon**_ **! This means we can upload better quality pictures for you guys to see, as well as little doodles I will probably draw during class. It also means if you want to draw our characters, we have a medium to see them!**

 **Also, we were trying to think of names for the botany class that Yee is taking. Originally, it was called "Botanical Field Medicine", but then one of our betas suggested a funny acronym (basically, come up with a name that, when read as an acronym, would make a silly word) and we came up with BAMF. Our other beta suggested "Botanical Observations of Overstrung Barren Species" (BOOBS). Other ideas were "Force for Aural and Responsive Treatment" (meaning FART) and the one I liked best but was way too much of a stretch: "Cures for Rabies And Pelvic inflammatory disease" (CRAP). Like I said… too much of a stretch. But we had fun comin' up with them and using our middle-school humor.**

 **Last thing that I am super excited to tell you! Umbra and I are playing Guild Wars 2, and we just randomly decided (April 2nd) to create a guild! SO! If you play GW2 or are interested in playing (it's free and an mmorpg! Not to mention great graphics, a personalized story, British voice acting(?)… /shameless_plug), we would love to play with you! And don't worry about being new to the game: I am horrendous at jumping puzzles (if you join us, you'll see; Umbra will attest) and we both are around level 15 (so we're nubs too). OR, if you're a seasoned GW2 expert and want to join us and teach us scrubs the way to play, we'd love that too!**

 **For those interested in joining, please send me a private message with your account name (not the character name!). The GW2 system is a little funky, so I need to add you to my friends list before we can even exchange mail. BUT that means you'll get to see when I'm online (which, if I am, Umbra likely is too) regardless of what character I'm playing, and we can chat or do guild stuff or just hang out! :)**

 **[[sorry for using so many exclamation points. I'm *very* excited about the GW2 guild.]]**


	5. (Come back next release date!)

**Hey guys, Phy here. We regret to inform you that today's chapter will not be uploaded. We wrote it, and, upon rereading it, found it very dull and uninteresting. If y'all are curious, we transcribed the entire two episodes of "Jaundice" and "Jaundice Part 2" and included Yee/Hong-Long, but it ended up just not having any real interesting content. Like I'd said before, we would rather wait and post something actually worth reading, you know? We're very sorry, but we'll definitely be back next chapter release date (May 1st, which ironically is both Umbra and my finals week... WOOHOO HYPE!)**

 **In the meantime, we've got a Guild Wars 2 guild (called the Sassy Snapdragons) and a tumblr that we'd love y'all to visit! If you guys have other websites/social media sites you'd like us to be on, please let us know! We'll learn just for y'all ;)**


	6. Tis Better to Have Loved and Lost

**Chapter 5: 'Tis Better to Have Loved and Lost**

 **Disclaimer: Neither Phy or I (Umbra) own anything other than HL and Yee.**

The days fly as the routine of school sets in. In Maths, we learn about how angles are important, especially for our longer-ranged weaponry. We write papers on why we chose our weapons in Literature, discuss the Faunus-Human War in History… The usual. When midterms start to loom, though, our professors decide to pile on the projects.

"So, students, one of the most important parts of being a Huntsman or Huntress… Is working together, HAHAHAHA!" Professor Port proceeds to pair students up, starting from the front of the class. As I am sitting at the very corner of the back row, he belatedly realizes that we have an odd amount of students for pairs. I tug at the ends of my bow as Port scans the room for a group that I could join.

"Miss Nikos, would you mind if Miss Baak were to join you and Mr. Arc?"

I heave a sigh of relief as Pyrrha beckons me to move over to them, barely hearing Professor Port announce that we have the last five minutes of class to discuss the paper with our partners. _Working with Pyrrha won't be so bad. At least I didn't get put with Cardin._

" _For Cardin's sake, that is a good thing; I would have lit him on fire many times had we been paired with him."_

I grin to myself. _In an alternate universe, I bet you'd have set his ass on fire in the lunchroom when he was pullin' on Velvet's ear._

" _I feel as though that did happen; must be wishful thinking."_

I set my bookbag on the chair next to Pyrrha. "Thanks, cousin."

"It's no problem, Yee. I knew you wouldn't be comfortable working with anyone aside from Weiss or me."

I blush slightly and try to change the subject. "So, um. What do you want to write about? Professor Port says it has to be about a research paper on a specific breed of Grimm."

"Yeah. Do you have any specific Grimm you want to write about, Jaune?" Pyrrha turns to him. I make an attempt not to glare.

" _Try not to light him on fire, little peony."_

 _I won't; that's your job. Remember, he shoved me and tried to hit on Weiss. He's a no-good butt-muncher._

I can feel the disdain and scorn radiating from the glaive strapped to my back. " _Think about what you just said."_

I huff in indignation. _I can't think of any better insults right now okay? Get back to me next week and I'll have a better insult for you._

" _You can never come up with good insults. In the two years that I've known you, there was only one good one you came up with."_

"Yee?" Pyrrha interrupts my mental conversation with a raised brow. "You okay?"

"Huh? Uh, yeah," I laugh sheepishly. "I was spacing out. What did you say?"

"Jaune said he wanted to write on Nevermore," responds Pyrrha, glancing at Jaune with a gentle expression. Jaune peers over her shoulder at me. "Are you okay with writing on them?"

"Oh, yeah. That's fine." I study Pyrrha's face curiously, distracted by her expression towards Jaune.

"That's great," Pyrrha smiles. With a start, she seems to realize something. "Oh, that's right! I don't know if you two have met before."

I attempt a smile, though it turns out to be more of a grimace. "We've met, I think."

"H-huh. Now that you mention it, you do look familiar…" replies Jaune, studying my face. "Where could we have met before, though?"

 _I want so desperately to say "you shoved me out of your way to try to hit on Weiss."_

" _You would sound petty in that scenario. What you should say is, 'I was in the locker room with you and the others before initiation.'"_

 _He probably wouldn't remember me anyway._

" _Still worth an attempt, to see if you can make him squirm."_

"I, uh, was in the locker room with you and Pyrrha and Weiss. You know, before initiation?" I smile wryly, staring at my knees.

"Oh, wait! You were that girl that I bumped into on accident, right? I've been meaning to apologize to you, but I couldn't remember what you looked like… Sorry about that one." I look up to see Jaune, a despondent expression on his face.

"It, uh… It's okay," I say, a bit stunned. _He apologized? But also hit me with the "didn't remember what you looked like." Backhanded compliments?_

" _I'd take the compliment: this boy is very… socially challenged."_

"So, when do you guys want to work on the project? It's due in two weeks," Pyrrha says cheerfully, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"I guess we could start working on it during the weekend." Jaune suggests.

"Okay," I say as Professor Port calls out that class is dismissed. Pyrrha heads over to him to write down our topic on the assignments sheet.

"Cool, I look forward to working with you," Jaune says with a smile.

I sling my bag over my shoulder and smile back, still hesitant about trusting Jaune. "Yeah, I'll message Pyrrha about when we should meet." As I step out to head to my next class – which is Maths: boring – I consider what I just experienced.

" _Jaune seems like he will either do great things in his life or fail miserably at everything he attempts."_

 _If my intuition is correct and Pyrrha likes him, I sure hope he turns out to be the former. Uncle would smite him into hell if he became a failure and Pyrrha brought him home._

" _The other grand artifacts would smite him if he was brought into the family."_

 _Well, regardless, it seems like he coats himself in that gross, flirty, playboy façade to hide that he's… atrocious at making friends, like you'd said._

" _You actually worded that like I would have."_ I could feel a hint of pride radiating from the glaive.

I visibly shudder at the thought. _Mental note: stop being a douchebag about people or else I'll turn into a crabby old fart like Shifu._ I rub the goosebumps that have appeared on my arms.

" _Given enough time, everyone gets crabby. If I stay around you any longer, I may get moody and full of angst."_

"Hey, I'm edgy, not angsty!" I raise my voice before slapping my hand to my mouth, realizing that I've spoken aloud. A couple of other students in the hall turn and look at me inquisitively. I tug at my bow in embarrassment.

" _I once knew a little bird who was nothing like you."_

 _A little bird…?_ I make a point to think rather than speak.

" _Yes, she was rather 'edgy' as well, but her boyfriend was quite the charmer."_

 _Your point being…?_ I slip into the back of the classroom and set down my bag at the edge of the lecture desk.

" _She was very hidden in the background but was a spitfire when provoked. That is, if people ever got to her; her lover was rather adept at killing them before it got to that stage."_

 _What does this, uh, bird have to do with me being edgy?_

" _If someone ever called her cute, she had an edge to show them. The fact that it was her knife blade had little to do with it."_

 _That… didn't at all answer my question, Seefu._

" _You are the epitome of dainty."_

I put my hand over my heart, gasping loudly. _You're saying I'm not edgy!_

" _That is exactly what I am saying."_

Before I can respond, the Maths professor calls for attention to start her lecture and I can only grumble about mean dragons as I open my notebook.

* * *

"Hey, Yee," Weiss calls through the open door of my room. I look up to see her and the rest of her team peering over her shoulder at me. "We're going to the docks to greet the new arrivals for the Vytal Festival. Want to come along?"

"Aw, I would, but Pyrrha and I have to go home to pick some stuff up. I think Pyrrha needed something from her parents and Hong-Long wants me to read some stuffy old books he wrote with his infinite amounts of wisdom." I roll my eyes and pick up my book bag. "Sorry. Let me know how it goes?"

"It's fine. Tell Hong-Long that if he bullies you again, we'll have words." Weiss waves a hand at me as she and her team continue down the hall.

" _Well, I would love to give her an earful right now, but that would be awkward, wouldn't it?"_

 _I'm afraid to ask what kind of earful you have to say to her._ I sling the bag over my shoulder and lock the door behind me.

" _Nothing too serious. Just enough to let her know I am always around in some form."_

 _She doesn't know you well enough to where she'd ever understand that. She'd just think you're creepy. Though I guess she wouldn't be wrong._

" _You can say whatever you would like, but it doesn't change the fact that we are stuck together until either you die or my seals break."_

I sigh, knocking on JNPR's door. _Somebody either kill me or break these seals… Get this leech off me!_

" _I wouldn't mind passing on, you know: 2422 years has given me enough hatred for this world."_

Unable to think of a reply, I stay silent until Pyrrha opens the door. "Hey, sorry!" she sputters. I peek around her and see her bag hastily packed on her bed. "I lost track of time because I was on the roof with Jaune and —"

I hold my hand up to stop her rambling. "I don't really need to know what you were doing with your crush as long as you stay safe." Pyrrha's face flushes a deep red.

" _If she brings weak genes into the family,_ — _."_

"W-We were practicing combat!" She blurts, evidently flustered. I fail miserably at hiding the grin on my face.

"I just said 'as long as you stay safe,' cousin. Combat training is dangerous."

" _You are evil… Good. You are learning."_

 _Pent up aggression 'cause of_ _ **some**_ _body. Thanks, though: I do learn from the best._ I beckon for Pyrrha to get her bag. "C'mon, let's get going."

"R-right," she says, still flustered. She picks up the bag and we head to the Bullhead in a comfortable silence. As we step into it, Pyrrha speaks up again.

"I think I am going to try to read ahead for Literature," she says, holding up _Linden Hills_ by Gloria Naylor _._

"Oh yeah. I have to read that at some point too: thanks for reminding me."

" _You know what you should read? Sun Tzu's_ The Art of War _."_

I sit down on the bench a couple of seats away. _That sounds even less interesting than your books._

" _Sun Tzu is an excellent military strategist. It would be wise of you to at least take a cursory glance at some of it."_

I groan and turn to look out the window. _As much as I hated the training to become a family historian, sometimes I wish I hadn't tripped during the Tsaakyunglai. Wouldn't have to study so hard to be a fighter that we both know I'm not._

" _It is hard to say what you will turn into: your soul is malleable. I am interested in what it will change into."_

I rest my chin on my hand, staring at the manor that we approach. _I bet you Kai Shun is still seething. I would be, if I were him._

" _It doesn't matter how mad he is. I still wouldn't have picked him if he came to claim me."_

 _I think it would have been better for him if I had purposefully done it. At least, then, he would have a good reason to hate me._

" _I have no understanding of how he can still hold a grudge. I mean, it happened two years ago."_

 _He trained his whole life to be worthy of you. Have some empathy. Or at least some sympathy._

" _He still wasn't worthy. If you hadn't taken me, he would have been put to the flame."_

The Bullhead slowly screeches to a stop and Pyrrha and I stand. _That's the worst of it. He trained all that time and still wouldn't have been worthy, and I did nothing but read dusty old books by three thousand year old men. Feels unfair that I'm the one who "gets to" fight._

" _What is easier to mold: a piece of clay or a bar of iron?"_

Waving goodbye to Pyrrha, I trudge down the stairs to the library. _I mean, we both know I'm not_ that _stupid What's your point?_

" _Your brother was taught how to fight in a sheltered environment. If I were to try and teach him how to fight, he would approach it from a martial standpoint. With you, I can teach you how to fight and you will be able to adapt to a variety of situations on the fly because you weren't drilled in any way, shape, or form."_

I stop at the end of the staircase. A large hall stretches out before me, and at the end stand a giant set of double doors. The burnt umber doors – in name only – are decorated by gold leaf and pearlescent marbled gladioluses. I carefully lift the appropriately designed longitudinal grooved leaf knocker and let go, the satisfactory _thud_ echoing through the hall.

* * *

I meet back up with Pyrrha after a couple of hours. The ride back to Beacon is quiet and uneventful, and Pyrrha reminds me to head over to JNPR's room after dinner to work on the Literature essay. After a brisk shower, I head to the cafeteria near the end of the open hours. I scan the room, hoping to see Weiss and catch up on how her visit to the docks was, but dejectedly resign to a small table by a window.

" _Why do you care so much about Weiss's day?"_

 _The way you ask that makes it sound like you've never loved someone. Granted, nobody would love a crabby old fart like you, huh._

" _...I did love someone at one point, but that love was ripped away from me. Death has a funny way of ending commitments."_

 _I… Oh._ I stare down at my dinner, not really seeing it. _Sorry._

" _Don't be. I got to serve her in the best way possible. One can truly say they love someone when they are willing to lay down their life for the other and not regret their decision."_

 _Shifu… You're surprisingly romantic._

" _Call it my old age, but yes: love does make us do stupid things from time to time. Like burning down an entire village."_

 _I feel like that is a story that I will need to hear at some point._

" _There were fireworks. Lots and lots of fireworks."_ An unusually eager tone sets in Hong-Long's voice and I grin.

 _As much as I'd like to hear it, Pyrrha and Jaune are waiting for me. While I don't like being their thirdwheel, I would rather get this essay over and done with. So, tell me later?_

" _Of course, little peony."_

I scarf down the rest of my dinner, put my dishes on the conveyor belt for the dishwasher, and head for my cousin's room.

* * *

Tsaakyunglai [I forget: it's something like "the choosing ceremony" in Cantonese] - the ceremony in which Yuen-Yee trips and accidentally grabs the glaive containing Hong-Long's spirit. The glaive was supposed to be handed down to her brother Kai Shun, but Hong-Long (apparently) liked Yuen-Yee better and thus chose her by wrapping the red silk ribbon around her waist rather than her brother's.

* * *

 **Phy: Sorry this chapter was released so late! We wanted to write more because we missed a release date.**

 **This is unrelated to the chapter, but as much as I love RWBY, there are so many continuity errors. In the scene where Jaune is fighting Cardin, when he gets knee'd in the nuts, he drops his sword. The next frame, he's holding his sword again, but then loses it once more after it switches to Cardin raising his mace** – **which, if paused at the right time, looks like it's made of paper. Not to mention the awkward "fondling" of Velvet's ear (the way they animated Cardin pulling her ear is just… not how physics works). I did like the part where, in "Jaundice Part 2," Cardin is seen sitting in the window right below Pyrrha and Jaune, giving him an easy segue into the scene.**

 **I had to talk to my cousin for help with coming up with the names of things. It was pretty funny because I initially just wanted to have a text conversation with him since I was in a call with Umbra to work on the story, but, of course, my cousin called me, so I was in a weird predicament to where I was talking to my cousin with Umbra just listening to my end of the conversation. Apparently he was very lost and it was hilarious.**

 **Since we finished this chapter so late (it's 12:40 AM here) as well as releasing during our finals week, our betas were super busy and unable to proofread it. SO I hope we didn't disappoint with our writing!**

 **Umbra: We both hope you enjoy reading this chapter. If you did, we would love if you would leave a comment explaining what you liked so we can try to get more of it into the story. If you didn't, please make sure to leave a comment explaining why.**

 **Phy: Constructive criticism, please! We welcome criticism, but if it's just pointless hate, we'll delete it.**


	7. A Hundred Degrees Celsius

**Chapter 6: A Hundred Degrees Celsius**

 **Disclaimer: Neither Phy or I (Umbra) own anything other than HL and Yee.**

Pyrrha, Jaune, and I work on the project for a couple of hours, splitting up the work. Jaune researches the Nevermore on the Internet, Pyrrha looks through our textbook, and I write down a basic outline of our paper. Around nine, Jaune attempts to hide a yawn, which Pyrrha notices immediately.

"Why don't we stop here for the night?" she asks kindly, setting down her pencil.

"Yeah, we did a lot of good work today. We can pick it back up another time." I carefully slide my Scroll and notebook into my backpack and stand. "Thanks," Jaune says apologetically, stifling another yawn. Pyrrha closes her textbook and stretches.

"No worries. I'll see you guys in class!" As I close the door behind me, I notice Pyrrha pick up her xiphos and Jaune walk to his broadsword and shield.

 _Are they sneaking out? With their weapons?_

Hong-Long huffs at me in indifference. " _I am too bored to care about what they are doing; let's get back to your room so I can spy on Ozpin some more."_

I roll my eyes. _How are you spying on Ozpin? Doesn't he notice?_

" _Yee, think about what you just said. How would he notice a gathering of Aura in an already permeated environment?"_

 _Ozpin is like a unicorn. I don't know how powerful he is. He knew the truth about us, remember? He knew your full name, which I didn't even know._

I feel the mental equivalent of a shrug. " _If he has noticed me, he hasn't bothered to say anything or stop me. Also, I have eaten unicorn before: not that bad of a taste, but a peculiar texture."_

I shudder. _You—_

As I start to respond, I notice shouting coming from the room across the hall from JNPR's and realize it's Weiss and Blake arguing.

"Well, maybe we were just tired of being pushed around!" Blake's anger echoes down the hall as I peek through the open door. An intense silence follows, as the rest of the team seems stunned into silence by what she had said. "I… I…" Realizing that she had spoken too much, Blake sprints out of the room, the anger, pain, and shame on her face. I look back into the room at the remaining RWBY members.

"I can't believe it! Blake is one of those filthy terrorists," came Weiss's aggravated exclamation.

"We don't know for sure, Weiss," Ruby replies meekly. "But she's still a friend and a teammate, and we should go looking for her."

"What happened?" I finally speak up. They all turn to look at me, Ruby and Yang with guilty expressions and Weiss one of thunder.

"Blake just confessed to being part of the White Fang!" she announces, hatred seeping through her voice.

"Blake _is_ a faunus, but I don't think she hates humans… " I glance at her books and remember how friendly she became after we found a common ground.

"You _knew_ she was a faunus? Why didn't you say anything?" Weiss demands, stepping towards me.

"You're a team. I wasn't going to break Blake's trust by divulging information that she wasn't ready to give!"

"We're friends though!" Weiss shouts. "We promised to tell each other everything!"

"Her secrets are hers to tell!" I feel my voice rising, struggling to control my emotions. "She obviously didn't want anyone to know that she's a faunus if she didn't even tell her team. I figured it out, but it's not like I'm going to make a big deal about it! Blake is Blake, regardless of race!"

Weiss stares at me for a moment, her anger fading.

"So maybe Blake was in the White Fang. Did you ask her for her story? She isn't the kind of person who would want to hurt people, let alone kill them." I look at Weiss, expecting a retort, but she doesn't respond. She simply narrows her eyes and looks away.

"Guys, let's go find Blake first," Ruby says, breaking the silence. "We can get our facts straightened and work things out with her."

"I think we should give her time," Yang pipes in. "She obviously doesn't want to see or talk to us right now. If she comes back tonight, we can talk. If not, we'll go look for her tomorrow. Okay?"

The rest of us nod. "I'll get going. See you in the morning." I step back out into the hall and head to bed.

* * *

The next morning, Ruby sends me a text saying that Blake still hasn't returned. We eat a hasty breakfast in tense silence. I glance at Weiss to see if she is still angry with me, attempting a smile. My heart aches when she refuses to acknowledge my existence, and for once, Hong-Long is silent. We then head out of Beacon, pausing at the Hunter-Huntress statue in the courtyard.

"Let's look in town," Yang suggests. "She would have had to find a place to sleep last night, so maybe we can check hotels and ask around the residential areas. If she's not there, we'll go to the commercial side of the city."

I tap Ruby's shoulder. "I'm going to search for her on my own," I say softly. "Weiss is ignoring me and I don't think I could handle it for the whole day.

"O-oh, okay," Ruby responds. "Good luck in your search for Blake."

I climb into a separate Bullhead, my heart sinking. _She's really, really mad at me, isn't she?_

" _I don't know about mad. I feel like she is more confused about the situation, and maybe a little hurt that you didn't tell her about it."_

 _I can understand why but she won't even try to understand from my side. It would make me a horrible friend if I told her secrets to other friends, right? Why can't she just understand that it wasn't my secret to tell?_

" _Some people just decide to hear and process what they want, little peony. There are some battles, that no matter what you do you can't win."_

 _I hope that by the time we find Blake, she realizes that she's a bit bigoted._

" _Who knows what the future holds. Everyone has the ability to be virtuous or not: it just depends on what occurs to feed each side."_

 _Yeah. I won't let her fall, though. Even if she hates me, I guess._

" _Be careful with your devotion: you never know who will abuse your faith in them…"_

 _I will, Shifu. Can you use your Aura to look for Blake?_

" _Not from here. If you can get closer to the center of the city, I can get a rough idea of the direction she is heading in."_

The Bullhead lands along the residential side of the river, across from the commercial district. I step off and stride towards the delta marking the end of the residential area, towards the center of the city. I reach the bridge that connects the residential district to the industrial one, and stop. _How's this?_

" _I'm getting a faint trace of her Aura, although it is mixed with another trail. Either she is being followed by someone, or they are traveling together. She is just about five or six miles northwest of you."_

I bring up a map on my Scroll. _Okay, so around the upper-class district but in the industrial one…_ I look around and see the bridge crossing to the commercial district to my right and start off towards the mouth of the river.

" _I don't recognize the Aura that is following her; I don't want to alarm you but I would be prepared to fight someone on the off-chance that they are hostile."_

 _Okay._ I unwrap the sash that connects Hong-Long to me and carry the glaive in my left hand, attempting to be casual as a few passersby try to walk further away from me. _Is it that scary to see a small teenager carrying a glaive?_

" _I also give off a slight aura of malice; while fire can represent warmth, it also represents rage and anger."_

I sigh. _What a troublesome weapon you are, shifu._

" _Try saying that when the anger that flows out of me halts a blow that would split your skull open."_

Unable to think of a comeback, I ignore him and stride onward. After a dull two hour walk through the commercial district, past shops and restaurants, I finally reach the area of the industrial district in which Hong-Long had said Blake was in. Just as I do so, I see a considerably large explosion resonate from the docks.

 _Think that'd be Blake?_

" _It looks like I was right about the Aural signature not being friendly."_

I sprint through the rows of warehouses towards the explosion. As I near the last warehouse before the freight crates, a White Fang grunt, who was likely kicked by Blake, smashes to the ground before me. I cringe as I hear his radius and ulna snap, followed by his inevitable yelp.

" _I just love the sound of bones breaking. There is something truly magical about it."_

 _A sound I'll never like._ I look ahead to see Blake and a blonde monkey faunus fiercely dueling Roman Torchwick. _That's the guy who was on all the news shows, isn't it? Why's Blake fighting him?_

" _Stop worrying about the 'why's: you have bigger problems closing in on you!"_

I whirl around to see four grunts closing in on me. I attempt to steady myself, noticing my hands trembling. _You know, we've been practicing training against Grimm, but people? I don't know if I can fight people._

" _Just pretend that they are Grimm, grunts rarely are any good at figh— look out; grenade!"_

Just as Hong-Long shouts, I feel an extreme force slam against me and a resounding _boom_ as I am flung into the air. Sharp shards of concrete and shrapnel dig into my aura. _There was a fifth guy sneaking up on me!_ Behind me, I barely hear Hong-Long yelling to protect myself because my aura is cracked, and realize that I'd dropped his glaive upon being flung. I am barely able to cover my head with my arms before I make impact with the freight crate in front of me and everything turns black.

* * *

 _I watch helplessly as Yuen-Yee's body is flung into the side of a freight container, slamming into it and crumpling to the ground. I vaguely sense someone – an ally – dashing to her and check her wounds. Through my fury, I notice the grunt, who had thrown the grenade, advancing to claim me, clearly hoping to keep me as a prize. His hand closes around the glaive_ – _the base and most concentrated part of my aura_ – _and I_ _instantly invade his mind with my presence. I send him one last message before I take control of his body._ "You have done well to doom your allies."

 _My grin widens as his screams of agony fill the air. I feel the fear in his allies as he collapses to the ground, writhing in pain, my aura like flames erupting from his flesh. I laugh as the one who I sense cares the most for him rushes forward, shouting his name. I feel his mind cower like the whelp he is as he realizes his organs are slowly boiling._

What are you? _he whimpers from the small corner of his mind._

"Your reckoning," _I respond. "_ Remember, you are to blame for what is about to occur." _Leaving him to think on that, I turn my attention back to the female who ran forward._ "Who is she to you?" _I demand._

She's my girlfriend…

 _What a pathetic response: love amongst thieves is a pointless exercise._

"Why did you fall for _her_?" _I ask._ "She seems so plain and bland."

She's the smartest person I have ever met, _comes his immediate and careless reaction. Unconsciously, he remembers a memory of the two of them on a date celebrating her promotion. In it, he takes her hand and smiles, saying he loves her beautiful brain._

"Have you ever wanted to see that 'beautiful brain'?" _I sneer, my feral side roaring._

 _As the grunt's mind reels back in fear, I reach out and probe her soul. I feel her fear. I savor the flavour, bask in her emotion. She may not realize it, but she is in the presence of an unrivaled predator. I flare my aura as I force her lover's hands to grasp her skull. Her eyes widen in shock as her lover turns against her, and even moreso as she sees my draconic visage overlaid on his face. Her meager aura is nothing before my overwhelming rage. I get a satisfaction that I have not felt in a long time, watching the flesh of her face slowly bubble and melt away, exposing her skull and charring it a deep onyx black. What is left of her skull offers little resistance to my grasp and shatters. I feel the host's mind fragment, trying to convince himself it's all a nightmare as he is forced to watch me murder his lover through him, and I give a hollow laugh._

"Huh, it looks as though there was nothing there after all. You dirty liar."

 _As I force the body I now hold to slowly stand, I look around, holding the glaive. The weapon that allows me to continue to exist in this world. I take a moment to appreciate its craftsmanship: the gentle sloping curves of the blade, mirroring the beauty that was the crescent moon before her sundering; the long brass pole with the blazing red seals, all set alight for the glorious battle to come, and the inscriptions that bind my soul to it; and the long red silk ribbon that Yee insists on wrapping around herself. I catch myself not minding the fact that it is my prison, for at least it is a beautiful cell._

 _Suddenly, I feel my aura flare to protect me, catch the scent of dust propellant in the air, and hear the sharp bark of a rifle firing. I turn, unfazed, to the one who was so insolent to think they could kill my host so easily. As he looks at me, I can feel his disbelief…_

 _He doesn't have much time to reflect on his mistake as I summon a pillar of violet flame at his feet, engulfing him entirely. The roar of the flames surrounding him drowns out his screams and pleas for mercy. His body makes a satisfying popping sound as his organs sublimate under the intense heat. The remaining two grunts turn as though to flee, but I refuse to let them die as cowards. I force the host body to dash in front of them at a speed that only the one called Ruby could rival. As I appear before the one to my left, I run her through with the glaive – her doom. I pause my movements as her blood pours out of her, relishing the feeling as it trickles down the host's arm. Her breath hitches and slowly releases as the life drains slowly from her eyes._

 _The last grunt realizes the futility of running and, in a last ditch effort to harm me, shifts his rifle into the form of a short sword. I snort in response. Such an inelegant weapon. I bow the host's head slightly, acknowledging that this one will stand and attempt to receive a warrior's death and my blessing. I quickly propel myself forward and decapitate him with a swift blow. His soul remains around just long enough for me to feel his acceptance. Finally, I turn my mind to the one who I inhabit._

"Now that I realize it, all of this great fun that I just had was possible – Thanks. To. You."

 _I level the yanyuedao in front of the body I inhabit, and drive the blade through the heart. It gives little resistance as his spirit disappears, preferring death over the agony of what he had just witnessed. I hear a stifled choking sound coming from my left towards the water and freeze, just as I explode out of his body in white-hot inferno._

 _In horror, I sense Yuen-Yee, wide-eyed in pure shock and utter fear, her hands over her mouth at the deed that I have done._

 _It is at this moment I feel an emotion I haven't felt in a long time._

Shame.

* * *

Yanyuedao ["reclining moon blade" in Mandarin] - a Chinese glaive

* * *

 **Phy: Hi guys! Sorry it took us an extra day to upload. We wanted to spend an appropriate amount of time on the chapter, but my birthday just passed (and Umbra came to visit me for it), I had to move out of my apartment, and fly back to my hometown for the summer. It ended up being a lot more hectic than I had time to write for. BUT we did it!**

 **Fun facts in this chapter: the first time Umbra wrote the fight scene (see Umbra's comment below), he wrote that the grunt's girlfriend "was in the presence of an alpha predator." Now, there's nothing wrong with the phrase, but as I follow the League of Legends memes (not too closely but stay updated), hearing him seriously say "alpha" just made me laugh. (But yes, Hong-Long is 6'5" and rows for UC Davis, in case any of you were wondering. ;) ) Anyway, since we were done with finals, our betas are able to help us again.**

 **And yeah… Yee is kind of lame, I know. She KO'd from just one grenade… According to Umbra, there wasn't much she could've done, but compared to the rest of the RWBY cast, she's kind of pathetic. Crossing our fingers that she'll grow into a stronger person over the course of the story.**

 **The title is "A Hundred Degrees Celsius" because, another fun fact, blood boils at roughly the same temperature as water does! Thanks Google~**

 **Umbra: I wrote the portion where Hong-Long was fighting around the day after the first chapter went up. I was super inspired to make a proper fight scene in the style of the grimdarkness of Warhammer 40K. I am a massive fan of that game series and I very much enjoy anything to do with the** **Waaagh! But yeah, just a massive ultra-grimdark fan over here. Please don't talk to me about Age of Sigmar: it is too complicated and far removed for me.**

 **Phy: One last thing! We want to make a journal for Hong-Long, but we don't know how to juggle both the story and the journal. There should be a poll in my profile description, and we really need to know what you guys prefer.**

 **If you have any questions that you'd like answered in the journal (for example, "who was Hong-Long in love with and why did he feel the need to crush the grunt's relationship", or even "who the hell is Hong-Long anyway"), please comment with them so that we know what to address when we're writing it. Or, alternatively, you can ask them on our Tumblr. I'm thinking that I might put up another poll sometime about what kinds of social media you all would prefer us to be on, so you can reach us at a more convenient place (if Tumblr isn't your thing).**

 **See you in a couple of weeks!**


	8. Lore Entry 1: The Baak Branches

Excerpts from The Emergence of the Baak Branches

Back in the early years of our family, when we were still testing the limits of our semblance, the first head, Baak Mong-Wan, had five children. Each one encompassed a different Chinese element: earth, metal, water, wood, and fire. Likewise, each child had a bodyguard and teacher that they spent much of their waking hours with. These teachers, or seefu, helped to shape each of our branches into the distinct martial art styles that we now have.

All names are written in the following format: Last name, Generational name - First name.

...

Earth: Baak Ping-Kuen (Hung Kuen) The firstborn was a son named Ping-Kuen, steady as the earth and as unyielding as the strongest of stones. It was evident that, even as a child, he would patiently and thoroughly study his options before making decisions, seeking the optimal outcomes. Calculated and powerful, he grew into the immovable foundation of our noble family, and is how we were able to create such a strong lineage. Through his protector Kei Zip-Dei, he learned the powerful and precise martial art Hung Kuen and founded the Luuk Branch, known as warrior-scholars and tacticians.

Metal: Baak Ping-Fai (Choy Lei Fut) The second son was named Ping-Fai, who was steadfast in his ideals. Once he made a decision, he refused to move from it regardless of its outcome. Organized, self-reliant, and determined, Ping-Fai never shared his struggles with anyone. Believing that he would learn lessons best by making his own mistakes, he took up the martial art Choy Lei Fut with Daap Gam-Sek. In his ambition to become a great martial artist, Ping-Fai snuck out of the house repeatedly in order to learn Tae Kwon Do.

Water: Baak Zeuk-Wan (Tai Chi) The third child Zeuk-Wan was born with an almost unnaturally serene demeanor. Even as a baby, she sat quietly, content in watching Ping-Kuen play mahjong with the adults. She was the most flexible of her siblings, and though she tended to be indecisive, she always wound up favoring the wisest choices. Of course, her affinity to water meant that she was generally quite relaxed and easygoing. Yet, when her wrath was incurred, it was as if her enemies had called upon themselves a tsunami; her blows were as mighty as the harshest of waves. Zeuk-Wan took her lessons from Jiu Sui-Yun, a Tai Chi master, and founded the Laam Branch of petrifying peacemakers.

Wood: Baak Ping-Waa (Krav Maga) Ping-Waa was the name of the fourth child, who had a heart for others and valued cooperation above all else. As a child, he noticed that Zeuk-Wan could sit with Ping-Kuen, which would leave Ping-Fai alone and bored. To make sure that his seemingly lonely brother was okay, Ping-Waa would often check on him until he learned that he was perfectly content to be alone. As a fourth child, Ping-Waa hated confrontation. Seeing his older brothers fight – and knowing that they both are nearly immovable – gave him anxiety and would desperately try to find a compromise. The ideals of Krav Maga were brought to him by Vuk Artur, and Ping-Waa grew distant from his siblings in his need for a more cooperative fighting style.

Fire: Baak Zeuk-Yim (Siu Lum/Shaolin) The youngest daughter, Zeuk-Yim, was dynamic both as a child and later as a woman. Her persistence and enthusiasm for learning, coupled with restlessness, caused her to pursue every activity that she could think of. She blew through the martial arts that her siblings were learning, trying each one for about three months before complaining to her father that it was boring. One day, Zeuk-Yim was in town and accidentally wandered into the shadier side. When older teenagers tried to take advantage of her, a dragon faunus by the name of Hong-Long happened upon the scene and swiftly rescued her. Seeing the fire in his eyes and the desire to prove his strength, Zeuk-Yim impulsively decided then and there that this young teen would be her teacher. While her father was less than pleased, Zeuk-Yim persisted. A year after she took Hong-Long in, every one of her family members was convinced, and he became her Shaolin teacher and best friend.

...

Fire: Foh Hong-Long (Zeuk-Yim's teacher)

Hong-Long Foh was the bodyguard and teacher of Zeuk-Yim. While becoming Zeuk-Yim's teacher gave the orphaned faunus a home, he encountered many adversities in our family. Each of Zeuk-Yim's siblings pressured him to prove himself to them. The siblings, as well as the head, decided to prepare tests for Hong-Long, to make sure that the qualities that he had were worth saving and incorporating into the family.

Ping-Kuen, the eldest, was the first to test him. "Give me an explanation of why you were brought here from the streets."

"Let me fight you in a duel. It will be easier to show you than to tell you."

Ping-Kuen looked taken aback. After contemplating for a moment, he agreed.

They moved further into the courtyard so as not to accidentally hurt anyone. Immediately, Ping-Kuen understood what Hong-Long was trying to say. The children were taught by those who practiced martial arts as a sport, rather than as a survival technique. Hong-Long used his fighting style to protect himself and others on the streets, from drunkards who wanted to take out their anger on him to the racist guardsmen. This dragon faunus knew real battle, ones in which his life was threatened. The earth child, realizing this all in the span of a couple of minutes, stopped the match. Hong-Long stepped back, surprised. Ping-Kuen bowed, stating, "I, Ping-Kuen, give you my blessing to be Zeuk-Yim's teacher." He stepped back into the line of siblings, a hint of a smile on his lips.

"Thank you for your blessing," Hong-Long said, bowing deeply.

Ping-Waa stepped forward next, hands clasped behind his back. He presented Hong-Long with a situation. "Say you are fighting a war. Where would you be?"

"I would be wherever my commander deemed it necessary for me to be."

"Say you see two of your comrades get shot, but it is clear they are still alive. What do you do?"

"I would call out to a medic and a fellow warrior to help me get them out of battle and try to save their lives."

"One of the two is an older man, who has grown children and multiple accolades. He was shot in his left thigh. If you save him, he might never be able to walk again. The other is a young man about your age, who is regularly the cause of punishments that you and the rest of your platoon must carry out. This man was shot in his right shoulder. If you save him, he will still unable to use his right arm. Say you can only save one. Which do you save?"

"I would save the older man: he has much to look out for and, with his wisdom, we could help save others who are wounded and help shape the tide of battle."

"So you would help the first man in hopes that he, in turn, would help the other?"

"Yes. Not only the other, but all of the other wounded."

Ping-Waa nodded thoughtfully. After a moment, he spoke again. "I, Ping-Waa, give you my blessing to be Zeuk-Yim's teacher." Just like his brother, he stepped back into his place next to his siblings and waited.

Again, Hong-Long bowed deeply.

Zeuk-Wan lifted her chin and gracefully moved forward. "What do you do in your free time?"

"I practice the stance of Shaolin. Growing up on the street has taught me that I can never let up in my training. Even a moment's rest means that there is someone out there who is getting better than me."

A fleeting expression of concern passes over Zeuk-Wan's face. "Yes, but what do you do when you aren't training?"

"I work to provide for the other orphaned faunus children."

"So you are like everyone's elder brother?"

"Yes; someone needs to care."

"If you did not have to care for other children, had a home, and food was plentiful, what would you do with your spare time?"

"I would probably take the time to become literate."

Up until this point, Zeuk-Wan had an indecisive expression across her face. Having heard Hong-Long's response, however, an immense smile spread. "I, Zeuk-Wan, give you my blessing to be Zeuk-Yim's teacher." She winked at him. "If you are accepted, I am sure Zeuk-Yim and I can help you learn to read and write."

Hong-Long bowed far deeper than both the previous times.

Ping-Fai was the last of Zeuk-Yim's siblings to test Hong-Long. Stepping forward, he looked at the young faunus for a long while before speaking. "How can you benefit our family?" he asked bluntly.

"I am very effective at fixing 'problems.'"

"In times of conflict, sure. What about in times of peace?"

"I can teach a school of willing students how to defend themselves and the important people of this clan. Which will create revenue for your family."

"How would it create revenue?"

"If you have an abundance of trained individuals, you have a group who can go out and kill Grimm for towns, bringing in more cash and crops for your household."

Ping-Fai looked pensive. "I see your point. Using our martial arts to help other towns can benefit us materialistically as well as brings honor to our name." He stared at Hong-Long for a few minutes, silently thinking. After long thought, Ping-Fai finally bowed, breaking eye contact with the dragon faunus. (Hong-Long suppressed a sigh of relief.)

"I, Ping-Fai, give you my blessing to be Zeuk-Yim's teacher. I hope to work with you further."

"I too look forward to helping earn your family some more influence."

Finally, the head of the clan, Baak Mong-Wan, stepped forward. Without a moment to lose, he began his test. "So, Mr. Foh, what does it mean to be dead?" His deep voice commanded everyone's utmost attention. Hong-Long unconsciously straightened his posture, assuming a more respectful stance.

"Death is the state in which the drive to improve has left you." Despite his nervousness, his voice rang through the courtyard clearly.

"Why does a soul make us different from the Grimm?"

"It doesn't; people with souls commit horrific atrocities all the time."

"Do you believe that you will be allowed into a greater life beyond this one?"

"If it exists. I am fairly certain I have done things to survive that prevent me from it."

"What sorts of things?"

"Killings and robberies." Uncertainty flashed across Hong-Long's face.

Mong-Wan's voice took a grave tone. "Who did you kill, and who did you rob from?"

"I killed the people who tried to slaughter the children I was protecting as well as me. I robbed from those who wouldn't give us the food we needed to survive, despite offering the payment necessary."

Mong-Wan studied Hong-Long. "What is a soul?"

"A soul is merely a part of us that we can use to shield ourselves from harm. It contains a tiny portion of what makes us an individual."

"One final question. Will you protect my daughter with your life?"

"If I were to be allowed to, I would gladly lay down my life for her."

"Foh Hong-Long, you have received the four blessings of my daughter's elder siblings. As of this test, you have received five blessings. As my dear wife had given her consent when Zeuk-Yim brought you home, you now have the full blessings of my family to teach my daughter shaolin, or siu lum."

Hong-Long knelt, bowing so deeply that his forehead touches the ground. "I thank you for this great blessing."

"One last thing, child." Mong-Wan stooped before Hong-Long, who lifted his head. "Taking another's life is a serious act. Even if they did not respect you, you would do well to respect them by keeping their names in your memory."

"I will try, though it is a long list to keep track of."

"Perhaps when my daughters teach you to write, you can log those names to help you remember them." He patted Hong-Long's shoulder, and motioned to Zeuk-Yim. "My daughter will show you where you will be living from now on."

* * *

Names and meanings:

Yuen-Yee [婉儀] : "soft hearted, gentle, graceful" - "elegant"

Hong-Long [紅龍] : (I {Umbra} named him) "red" - "dragon" (not to be confused with the "long" that means "wolf"... Basically, we misspelled his name pretty badly. Both vowels in his name should be a "u", but it's a lil too late to fix that xD)

Ping-Kuen [炳權] : "brilliant, splendid, remarkable" - "power, authority, a fist"

Ping-Fai [炳輝] : "brilliant, splendid, remarkable" - "splendour, the sun's rays"

Zeuk-Wan [雀雲] : "to jump for joy, in high spirits" - "cloud"

Ping-Waa [炳華] : "brilliant, splendid, remarkable" - "flourishing, magnificent"

Zeuk-Yim [雀燄] : "to jump for joy, in high spirits" - "flame"

Mong-Wan [亡魂] : "soul of the newly deceased" (this name was not combined by us: we found it in the dictionary as two words together that mean "soul of the newly deceased")

* * *

Phy: Okay, so this was fun to write but also REALLY TEDIOUS. If you're curious as to why the changes occurred but don't want to read the whole explanation, here's the TL;DR: there are different elements in Chinese philosophy than we had thought (which is kind of our fault because we didn't really research it) and so we had to change things, on top of checking names (making sure they could be real names, fitting the character, etc) and also making sure that we would be happy with them (ie, how I felt the need to make Zeuk-Yim a woman because stereotypically, fire is masculine in the Western world).

Here's the long version: so we originally had four branches of the family in our story (and at some point, we're going to have to fix). BUT fun fact that I just learned: Chinese believe in five elements. Wood is one of them, AND air isn't (it's part of metal because according to Chinese philosophy, air is metallic).

...Which meant that our basic draft that Umbra wrote up a long while ago (and which I was almost done editing before my cousin explained this "five element" concept) actually was all wrong. And of course, being the perfectionist that I am, I needed to fix that so that it would be a more accurate depiction… Which meant more work. But now the whole "Pyrrha is my cousin!" thing works a bit better: Pyrrha fits into the Metal branch of the family.

For those of you who want to know about how the elements work: the Chinese elements go in a circle, and elements next to each other, like Earth and Metal, have qualities in common, such as stubbornness and ambition. Of course, for those elements to be distinct, there needs to be something that defines an element, so each of our characters' descriptions actually depict the differences of the elements. Earth and Metal are different because Metal is more self-reliant, while Earth helps nurture others. If you'd like a more extensive explanation of the elements and how they interact, Wikipedia has a great series of articles, starting with Wu Xing (that one has a picture that also helps!)

Writing this was exhausting, but I felt really bad for Umbra: since he comes from a completely different culture, he really couldn't do much in way of fixing things to make them more accurate... BUT we figured out a way we could incorporate his own family's stories, so look forward to hearing more about the Wood branch of the family! I promise, they might be black sheep, but they are DOPE. He was super excited about it.

Also, I'm just gonna say, Cantonese is HARD. I always knew it, but there are so many words that are pronounced exactly the same that mean different things in different contexts. It's even worse when we're not adding in the pronunciation tones at the ends of the words (usually, Cantonese romanization looks like this: ping2kuen4 - for Ping-Kuen). Furthermore, there's no list of names like the Western world has: you can almost literally name your kid whatever you want (that's why there are some first generation kids who get names like Apple).

Yuen-Yee, Ping-Kuen, and the Fai of Ping-Fai are all borrowed names from my (Phy's) family! Also, to explain the "generational name" thing: Chinese names are made up of three names. Depending on the family, generational names do not have to match between siblings. My grandparents chose to name my mom and her siblings with matching generational names (Yuen for the girls, Kwok for the boys) so I decided to stick with that tradition. However, this makes it hard to distinguish the kids from each other, so we (just like my grandparents) gave them "first names" that are related to their elements.

Umbra: In case you were wondering, Vuk Artur is from my family, though our last name isn't Vuk. Also, there will be more to follow in terms of the Wood Branch; there will be some fun to be had with them in this story and in the future.

 **As always, thanks for reading! Let us know your thoughts in the comments~ We appreciate all of them, criticism or praise. :)**


	9. (Our Hiatus is Over!)

Hey guys! Phy here. I just wanted to let you guys know we're sorry that we took a hiatus so suddenly and without warning. Y'all deserve an explanantion (and I promise, we're not making excuses).

My mom had some health issues, which was tough because my mom is usually very healthy. In lieu of these health issues, I learned that my mom can't always be in her superhero state, and actually needs someone to look after her sometimes.

I won't speak for Umbra, but chapter 6 was the first time in a long while (it seems) that he's uploaded something that he wrote, and I think our betas and I (mostly the latter) unintentionally hurt him with our criticism.

THE GOOD NEWS: we're back and excited to continue! The truth of the matter is, the mastermind behind A Peony's Snapdragon is Umbra. He came up with the main ideas, the plot, et cetera, and all I really did was fill in the lines. So we're going to try to work from a different angle, where he is the main writer (because he is).

We are planning to work on the story this weekend, but we might not have a publishable draft until the week after. We'll try to keep you updated! Thank you for your patience.


	10. Nightmare's Muse

Chapter 7: Nightmare's Muse  
We don't own RWBY.

" _So Miss Baak, how is your family? I heard that you are quite the sensation, given how your glaive chose you rather than your brother." I lift my head, the pitch blackness fading as a familiar cliff appears before me. Headmaster Ozpin appears before me, holding a cup of coffee and watching me carefully._

" _H-How did you know about that?" I look around nervously, hoping no one else is in earshot, and pull at the loose ends of my bow._ The others were launched already, _I realize._

" _A headmaster is supposed to know about his students," Ozpin says giving me a cryptic expression over his coffee. "Although, I was expecting your brother as well. Considering his training, he has quite a lot of potential, despite the setback."_

" _I… think he is still deciding what exactly he wants to do." I state politely. "But he hasn't spoken to me since the, you know, incident."_

"Now that I think of it, Kai-Shun has always loved baking. Perhaps he should make _that_ his profession," _Hong Long cuts in, with his usual dry snark._

 _Ozpin chuckles. "Well, despite his stubbornness, your brother will realize that he still can be a Hunter if he wishes; and if not, we will all be able to enjoy his pastries. But what about you, Miss Baak? What are you planning to do after you graduate from this institution?_

" _Um, well…" I pause shyly, afraid that my plans were not concrete enough, and too idealistic. "I would like to help the faunus situation in Mistral. From what I've seen, faunus and humans make assumptions and allow miscommunication to occur. I guess, overall, I want to help create equity between humans and faunus." I wring my hands together, not daring to look up._

" _That is certainly a noble goal." I sigh with relief, and look up. Ozpin's light brown eyes bore into my orange ones, and he clears his throat._

" _Before you start protecting others, though, I believe it is important for you two to learn to fight as a team. This is, as you are well aware, why you are a student. It is crucial for you, as a Living Vessel, to understand how your control works. Just as our teams of four students need to learn to respect each other, so too do you. Before you two work with other students, I think it best to make sure you two can work together seamlessly. If you can't, it would make an already unstable team more unreliable."_

 _I nod silently, realizing that Hong-Long and I squabbled over nearly everything. I could count how many things we agreed on with one hand._

"Tell him that I understand and will do my best to respect what he desires," _Hong-Long cuts through my thoughts._

" _Thank you, Mr. Foh. I appreciate the cooperation from each of you." Ozpin inclines his head towards me._

 _Hong-Long's voice resounds with shock._ "He can hear me? Nobody should be able to hear my thoughts if they aren't holding the container."

 _I stare at Ozpin, trying to think of a way to articulate all of the questions I suddenly have. He simply smiles back innocently, as if Hong-Long didn't speak through the spiritual realm._

" _In the meantime," Ozpin continues, "I would advise you to keep a level head about yourself. More often than not, a hero becomes overwhelmed by noble intentions. Make sure not to let those intentions get tainted by wrath as before."_

"Look out; grenade!" _Hong-Long's voice booms, just as an ear-splitting explosion cuts through my head. Ozpin and the cliffside instantly disappear, everything turning black. I reach up to cover my head, my heart pounding. In the background, I barely hear screams of pain, not daring to look up. Finally, everything goes silent. I slowly lift my head, and stop in fear as I see the snout of a gigantic red dragon. Terrified, I raise my eyes and meet the fiery gaze of Hong-Long, his deep red eyes glaring deep into my soul._

"Now that I realize it, all of this great fun that I just had was possible – Thanks. To. You." _He straightens up to his full stature, as tall as a five-story building, and lifts a claw the size of a truck. Petrified, I can only watch as his claw cleaves into me, piercing through my chest, abdomen, and thigh._

* * *

Screaming, I jump up and wrap my arms around myself. Looking around, I realize I'm in my room. It was all just a dream. I draw in shaky breaths, trying to calm my pounding heart, and pick up my Scroll. _Sunday morning, five forty-five._ I smile wryly, realizing that I'd woken up right before breakfast hour. I flop back down in bed and tap on my unread messages.

Blake had sent a message, asking me if I was okay and if we could talk. Dread fills my heart and I quickly tap away, reminding myself to respond later. The other message was from Weiss.

"Hey, are you okay? I reached the docks really late, and you were crumpled on the ground. Wukong had to carry you back since he was the only one strong enough. We bandaged your head, since he said you'd been in an explosion… Oh, and I noticed that your glaive's seals are black now, and the bright red ribbon that's usually around your neck disappeared. I looked for it, but it must have blown away or something… I'll go with you to get a new one, if you want. Talk with me, alright? Breakfast?"

 _Did the bloody scene at the docks really happen, then? It wasn't just my dream?_

With a start, I realize I have no idea where Hong-Long is nor feel his usual presence. Frantic, I search the room and spot the glaive in the corner. Relief momentarily washes over me until I step closer and see the seals an onyx black, just as Weiss had said. The bright red ribbon, a manifestation of my companion's spiritual connection to me, had completely disappeared. Carefully lifting the glaive, it felt as if I was lifting just that: a glaive. There was no trace of Hong-Long at all.

The fearful questions flood my mind. _Where was he? Did the seals break? If so, where did he go? What if he's on a murdering rampage? Is he capable of that?_ I clench the Scroll tightly, tapping out a quick, "can we talk now?" I think back to how effortlessly Hong-Long would spread his soul out when we searched for something. How did he do it? I close my eyes and concentrate, but nothing happens. I furrow my brow, trying to concentrate harder.

A buzz from my Scroll interrupts my thoughts. I look down and see that it is Weiss's "yeah." I scramble out of bed, quickly dressing, and stop. _It just doesn't feel right without the bow,_ I think to myself. Digging through my luggage, I find the bow that had come with the uniform. _And to think that Shifu had said that it was completely useless…_ Worry knots in my stomach again and I strap the empty glaive to my back.

I quickly exit my room and head down the hall to team RWBY's room. As I reach the door, the door opens quietly and Weiss steps out. We exchanged quiet hellos and walk to the dining hall.

"Talk to me, Yee," Weiss demands. "Something obviously happened last night."

"Y-yeah…" I suddenly realize that I will have to tell Weiss everything, as well as just how vulnerable I am without Hong-Long. There is no reassuring – though sassy – voice to give me confidence. "P...please don't be too, um, shocked? I have to explain from the beginning for this to, uh, m-make sense." My heart pounds and I grab the replacement ribbon, expecting comfort from the familiar action. Nothing changed. Weiss's arms suddenly wrap around me, and I look up.

"Yee, you can tell me what is bothering you. I am your friend and a Schnee, after all. We fix our friends' problems."

I smile weakly, appreciating the warmth. "Let's get food first. It'll be a long chat."

* * *

 **Umbra: Hey everyone, we're back and we know this one is short. I know that we have been gone for a while and not provided any warning, and we would like to apologize. We both hope that you enjoy this chapter and we welcome and appreciate your feedback on how it was, regardless of positive or negative. (Just try to keep the negative to a calm and professional level. No "this &^$*$&% blows": provide a reason for your expletives like "this &^$*$&% blows because of x and y.")**

 **Phy: To get back into the swing of writing again, I think it's a good idea to start off small (especially since the dynamic has changed a bit). It's part of the reason why this one is shorter.**

 **Side note: I reaaaaally wanted to change the "you" that Ozpin says (referring to both Yuen-Yee and Hong-Long) to "y'all" because it's a form of "you" that is plural, but using that word wouldn't fit Ozpin. As a linguist, though, it bothers me immensely… Why can't we just use "y'all"? I get that people think it sounds southern, but it actually makes more sense linguistically. *cries* /rant**

 **For the reviewer who said you were slightly irked with us cutting out the Ozpin talk: HERE IT IS BUDDY WE GOTCHUR BACK :3 In hindsight, I suppose we could have put it in at the time, but I felt like it made more sense to add it after Yee's learned about HL's, uh, bloodthirsty side.**

 **To respond to your other comment about her outbursts, the first chapter had a lot of Yee having outbursts in response to HL, but most of her conversations with him nowadays are in her head! That's why the first chapter's responses were in quotes, while later they became italics. :) Yee's become a little more aware of herself with that, though when she gets emotional/extremely flustered, she tends to forget.**

 **...although in this chapter, she's "lost me dragon," as Umbra says. Heh.**

 **In response to the reviewer who said it felt like whiplash between the first and second parts of the last chapter: You're right. I felt that she should be useless af in her first fight. [The lowkey reason is because everyone in RWBY seems overpowered except for Jaune. The fact is, though, is that Yee has spent her entire life training as a historian: that means reading, writing, and of course, the most important: studying. During the two years after the ceremony with HL, the training that she went through was the basics of Siu Lum (Shao Lin kung fu).**

 **[For those of you who have never been to a martial arts gym, training is composed of a teacher who shows the student(s) moves, and the students mimic them. For higher level Shao Lin (that Yee hasn't reached), shifus will play-fight the students, but it never gets past kicking or punching a handheld punching pad (they're like super padded gloves for the shifu to wear?). In that sense, for a studious girl to be thrown into a battle with experienced grunts for the first time… pretty useless.]**

 **Umbra: Another reason why there was whiplash was simply because it was supposed to be. I wanted the scene to be incredibly brutal and specifically not RWBY. The job they are doing isn't "clean." It is one step above wetwork. (Phy: apparently that means assassination/murder)**

 **Phy: I think, overall, we intended it to have a clear difference between the two. Yee is very shy, meek, blah blah blah (though kind of unaware of herself), and ultimately very idealistic, while HL is a lot more cynical in his outlook.**


	11. HL Journal 1: The Beginnings

Hong-Long Journal: The Beginnings

03.04.1928

Zeuk-Wan said to keep a journal. She gave it to me for my fourteenth birthday yesterday. Zeuk-Yim gave me a new uniform. It is pretty cool. It has a fire emblem in it. Zeuk-Yim said to write "embroidered" and I don't know what that are strang. Ping-Kuen gave me a training bag. It sits in the courtyard and Zeuk-Yim and me I train with it.

Both Zeuk-Wan and Zeuk-Yim said to write every time I have thoughts. I don't think this little journal has enough space for my thoughts. Will I have to write in a fight? That is unreasonable.

...Zeuk-Yim smaked my head when I asked her that. She said why do you ask dumb questions. I don't.

[ 04.04.1928  
\- Embroider: to decorate clothing by sewing patterns on it with thread.  
\- You mean "strange," not "strang". You're stranger than I am...  
\- Nice job correcting yourself! Remember the trick I taught you.  
\- "smacked", not "smaked"  
\- The word "Why" means that a question is being asked. At the end, put a ? instead of a .  
I'll check your journal until I think you write well enough, so try not to put too many embarrassing secrets. Or do!

Zeuk-Yim]

* * *

04.04.1928

To day is a very unlucky day. It is unlucky since four and death share the same pronunciation. It is a shame to day is so unlucky, because it is supposed to be sunny out to day. I don't understand why Zeuk-Yim wants me to write secrets. I don't really have anything to hide in here. Plus it wouldn't be a good place to hide since anyone can open it.

[04.04.1928  
\- "Today" not "to day".  
\- Writing down your thoughts and secrets can help you feel better. But you're right, anyone can open it. Perhaps we can put it in a place that only we can open?

Zeuk-Yim]

* * *

06.04.1928

I got yelled at by Zeuk-Yim today for forgetting a day in my journal. I honestly forgot it and i don't know why she is mad at me. Things are still very strange and northwest China is still in the middle of the famine. Also, the monsters from the war still remain. Many scientists are attempting to figure out where they came from but they seem to have been around since the ending of the Great War.

[07.04.1928  
I was angry because if you do not write, you will not practice. Just as kung fu means "extra work", you have kung fok, you know!  
\- The famine is worrisome. I really hope our city can survive it but with all the children on the streets, we cannot feed everyone.  
\- Those monsters are terrifying. They are why my siblings and I need to learn martial arts: we must protect our city.

Zeuk-Yim]

* * *

07.04.1928

I saw a speckled softshell turtle in the Yangtze today. I was on a "nature" (it was in the city) walk with Zeuk-Yim and when she saw it she made a strang enoise and zipped off to the waters edge. I looked at it and it looked very cool. I wish that I was a turtle sometiems. Maybe then everything would be easier to deal with. The monsters are growing in number and it seems like everyday more and more people are disappearing.

[07.04.1928  
\- Zeuk-Wan loves giant softshell turtles. She will be disappointed she did not come along.  
\- Remember that for words, you need to write the pieces closer together. It should be "strange noise".  
\- A "water's edge" means that it's the edge of the water. Thus, the water is in possession (has) an edge, which means you need to write that it possesses that edge.  
\- "Sometimes", not "sometiems". Remember where the pieces go! If they change, it becomes another word.

Zeuk-Yim]

* * *

…

* * *

01.06.1929

We found one of the bodies of someone that had gone missing last week, He was found in a cave about 3.2 km outside of town. His chest cavity had been exposed and he was missing several organs and the flesh and bone looked gnawed upon. His eyes were glazed over in fear and anguish. The emotions attached to the site were also very dark and brooding. I believe it was one of the creatures the we have taken to calling "ying zi long" that killed the man we found.

[02.06.1929  
Your writing has improved so much over the year. I am proud to have taught you so well (hehe).  
\- The comma in the first sentence should be a period since the sentence is finished there.  
That guy was gross to look at. After today's meeting with Dad and my siblings about what to do with those wolves, I don't want to think about it anymore.

Zeuk-Yim]

* * *

02.06.1929

We managed to capture one of the wolves today. They are very interesting,: most of their body is composed of a strange material that begins to evaporate when they die. It is a very strange animal as it has the appearance of a wolf's shadow that has lifted itself off of the ground and attacked. Even stranger is the lack of any distinguishing characteristics, it has no eyes or mouth. This raises the question of how it eats and if it actually needs to. The lack of a mouth seems to suggest that they in fact don't need to eat and that they corpses are partially consumed means that they are doing so without any real purpose.

[02.06.1929  
\- "They" is not the right determiner for "corpses". You're looking for "the"  
\- I still don't understand how the wolves consume the corpses without the mouths… Ew.  
Do you still want me to read the journals, now? Most of it is correct with only minor mistakes. It's up to you.

Zeuk-Yim]

[Yes, I would like it if you continued to look over my writing. It helps me retain the information.]

* * *

03.06.1929

Zeuk-Yim took me to a place in the city that she told me about to get me more clothing. It is probably a good thing considering the fact that my last set of combat gear got shredded in the hunt yesterday. I will say that it wasn't that bad going shopping with a woman: I don't know why other men make such a fuss about it. After that, Zeuk-Yim even brought me to a place to get more oils for maintaining my glaive. "As a present for going with her," apparently. Some may ask why I still use a melee weapon in an era of guns. To that, I simply say, I'm just that good.

[03.06.1929  
You arrogant butt. ...Although you are good, so I guess I can't complain...  
Shopping is fun! We need to use our money sparingly, though. Food is running quite low. I didn't see very many of the orphans that you used to lead around town. I hope they're all still alright…

Zeuk-Yim]

[Some are tough and resourceful enough to make it by.]

* * *

影子狼": ying zi long: "shadow, emotional darkness" - "wolf"  
kung fok: homework (Homework and Kung Fu have the same root words, so basically "Kung Fu" means work outside of regular work, not "martial arts" like the Western world believes! (Thanks mom))

* * *

 **Phy: Dates were written as Day/Month/Year. So Hong-Long was born April 2nd, 1914! I figured it'd be easier for both us and you readers if we used the Western years for everything instead of using Lunar years as we would have.**

 **This is fairly short (and a day late… sorry!) because we did a LOT of historical research. (We have, like, four new documents with our research on it…) The story is quickly becoming a historical fiction mixed with fantasy, not to mention a weird blend of Cantonese and Irish (with a tiny bit of Mandarin) cultures. I hope it piques your interests, because we're learning a lot and it's pretty cool. :)**

 **Also, fun fact: I, Phy, am now questioning about my sexuality! Woohoooooooo~ yay for questions and not knowing my identity~ I figured since this story is basically half my baby and half Umbra's (our kid….?! O_o that got weird), I'd let y'all know. So if you're out there questioning, or (like I was) telling yourself that you're straight when you might not be, I am too! YAAAAAY.**

 **This is fairly important, though, because I'm learning more about the sexuality spectrum. The kind of writer that I am, I want the story to be as accurate to history and experiences as possible. Thus, Yee's love life might have a lot more spice and drama than we'd originally planned...**


End file.
